Eternal
by stephanie.j.daw
Summary: Vampire hybrid Bella has waited all her life for her mate to come along, and he arrives just when she needs him the most. Rated M because I am paranoid. Links to Lemons on my profile.
1. Chapter 1

**~*~ Eternal ~*~**

Disclaimer: I own nothing of twilight or any of the characters. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

 **~ I would like to apoligize to every one who has been reading my previous story Uncondiontal Love. I am very sorry for all those who were following it, and I hope this story makes up for that.** ** _This one is already finished, and I am simply tweaking each chapter before I post it. I hope you enjoy._**

 **~ For those interested in the Lemon filled version please reffer to my profile for the necessary links. I will put up the links as the chapters missing lemons are uploaded. xxx**

~ Romance

~ Bella + Edward

~ Rated M – Because there is some violence in one of the chapters. Not between Bella and Edward.

~ Bella – Eighteen years old.

~ Edward – Twenty Two

 **~*~ Chapter One ~*~**

I woke up to the sound of the rain tapping against the window, my dream still as clear as the memory it was born from. As I laid there I watched the rain fall outside of my window like a curtain of tears.

I stayed there, unmoving for a long time, before I dragged myself off the bed and picked out a fresh set of clothes, and then walked down the hall and into the bathroom. I took care of my morning business, brushed my teeth, then tied my hair up in a bun and stepped into the shower; the warm water felt nice against my stiff muscles.

I reluctantly turned the water off, and quickly dried and got dressed, since the house was too cold – due to the fact that I had been unable to pay the heating bill – for me to be walking around with only a towl on.

I threw my used clothes in the hamper, pulled the hairband out of my hair, then walking back to my room I pulled on my trainers and walked downstairs and into the kitchen.

I grabbed a bowl from the cupboard and poured myself some ceral, before sitting down at the kitchen table.

I could still hear the sound of my mom huming while she cooked, or laughing with a laugh that always made you laugh. The once sweet memories were now bitter sweet in my mind, as I ate my cherios one at a time to pass the time.

When I was finished I cleared my bowl and spoon away, I pulled on my raincoat from the hall way. I paused to glance in to the livingroom, where my step-father was sat in the armchair watching something on TV with a beer in his hand, like he did every day. He was only in his early thiries, yet he had aged ten years in the last two years.

For only a second I contemplated telling him that I was going out, but in the next second I decided not too, for I doubted he would care.

I sighed, for he had once been a nice guy – we had gotten along from the start, for he had always treated my mom with respect and love. They were a perfect match, but the drepression and the alcohol had changed him to someone who I no longer recognize as my step-father.

I walked out of the house that had once been filled with so much love and laughter, yet was now a dwelling place of silence and sadness.

I walked towards the woods, planning on a walk to clear my head and allow me to breath for a short time, before I had to go back inside the house and cook dinner.

Most of my friends had left for college, and it was hard to know that I was not able to follow any of them, for I could barley efford the bills I had to pay, let alone pay for college.

And just to make things worse, Mrs Newton had informed me and the rest of the staff that she and Mr Newton were selling the restaurant and that she would have to let all of the staff go. After working at Eclipse for two years I had been let go with only my last paycheck which would not even get us through another month, and a good reference that will not put food on the table.

I felt a moment of envy at my friends – and work colleagues – Jane, Victoria and James, for they either had family or savings to fall back on, while I had neither.

I had cried that night, for there were not many jobs in Forks, what with it being such a small town, and I could not see how I was going to be able to pay the bills.

It had been two days since that night and the weight on my shoulders was more than I should have had to deal with.

I had not told Phil that I had lost my job, since I knew that it would not have changed anything, since he was usually too drunk to even notice I was in the same room as him. Or maybe he chose to ignore me.

It was time likes this when I wished that I had a larger family, for it would have been nice to have someone to help me, someone who I could have gone to when I needed them.

Unfortunately my mom was an only child – due to the car accident which left too much damage to the lining of my grandmother's womb to carry another pregnancy. And my grandmother's sister's had passed away when they were still teenagers in a boating accident.

Was my family cursed with bad luck? Why else would so many bad things happen to each generation of my family? Maybe that was why each generation was left with only one child. Would I carry on the tradition someday?

As I continued to walk my thoughts became deeper and I did not take much notice as to where I was going.

 **~ A couple of hours later ~**

I sighed as I looked around at the endless trees. I had never gone this far into the woods before, and now I was lost. I had tried going back the way I had came, however that only seemed to get me more lost.

I wrapped my arms around myself, as a cool breeze brushed passed me, and although my body temperature ran a little lower than a normal humans, the cold still sent a chill down my spine. My frustration began to turn to worry as the light began to fade from the sky and the shadows of the forest grew around me.

Soon it would be dark and there would be no hope of me finding my way back to the path, if I could not see where I was going. My mom had always warned me about going into the woods at night, and now my mind began to race with scary thoughts. What if something happened to me? What if an animal attacked me? What were the chances of someone finding me?

I felt my normally slow beating heart begin to dance to a fast rhythm, and I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath, for even though fear kept you alive, kept you alert, it would not have done me any good to panic.

It was moments like this when I understood why a vampire would be so protective of his mate, for hybrids were almost as fragile as humans. I could run slightly faster, see a little clearer, and hear a little better, but in every other way I was almost normal.

 _Almost._

Due to my vampire genes my ageing process would someday stop once I reached the same age of the dad, and unfortunately it was one of the many questions I had never asked my mom. Which left me in the dark in many areas.

One of them being why she would marry a human, who was unaware of what she was, when she knew someday she would have to admit the truth, or leave him.

Yet at the same time, she had taught me an important lesson, for while my mom was still pregnant with me, my dad Charlie had not returned to see my mom again – I know it broke her heart, even though she never told me, for I was able to see it in her eyes – and when I was ten–years old she married a human man called Phil, and although they tried, they were never able to conceive a child, which only proved the myth that had been passed down through my family that hybrids could not conceive a human child.

Maybe that was why she had doted on me as much as she had. Although most of the time I was more of a parent to her than she was to me, for Renee was always looking for something new to try and that sometimes resulted in a few bad ideas. However, she was very easily lead, and I was able to talk her out some of the bad ideas.

Most of the time.

I sighed again as I sat down on the trunk of a fallen tree. After a few minutes I stood and once again looked around at the trees, before I began to walk again, hoping that if I kept to one direction I would find a way out, but the trees were endless, as if for ever step I took the forest expanded another mile.

Why had I left my cell phone at the house? I should have known that the one time I leave the house without it, would be the day I need it the most.

I stopped when I felt the sky open up above me, and release all it had on the ground below. "Really?" I asked, throwing my hands up in the air as I looked up at the treetops. As if this day was not bad enough, the universe had to throw this at me.

"Haven't I suffered enough?" I demanded, knowing that no one would answer, yet wishing that there was someone to explain why everything had gone wrong? I had never hurt anyone, never done anything to anyone!

So why me?

I took a deep breath to stop myself from crying, for my will too be strong was being tested to it's limit and I was not sure how much longer it would last.

I forced myself to keep moving, while I held on to the hope that I would find my way out of this mess and I would be safe and dry back at the house.

I don't know how long I walked when, I felt something shift in the atmosphere. And the noises of the forest went silent, as if in anticipation of what would happen next.

I stopped still and listened for any sign that I was being tracked by an animal, the sound of a twig snapping, the crunch of leaves under paws or a growl from somewhere dark and hidden. Mountain lions and bears were common in these woods, and my heart skipped a beat at the thought of being attacked by an animal that could take me down with no difficulty.

But there was only the sound of the rain. Which only scared me more, for it provided a hiding place for small sounds of danger.

Still I waited.

And waited.

As the rain continued to drip through the tree tops I could feel that there was something wrong – like on a dark night when you are walking home alone and the feel of eyes on you causes goosbumps on your skin. I could not bring myself to move, for fear that something nasty would jump out of the darkness and attack me if I so much as flinched.

Time seemed to freeze as I stood there. Then from the darkness I saw something move. Was it my imagination? Rain drops filled the air, making it harder for me to see.

Then I saw it again.

"Hello? Is someone there?" I said weakly – my words coming out more quiet then I had intended. I would feel really stupid if I was talking to animal. Even if there was no one around to witness it, but the speed in which it moved was more than an animal.

There was nothing for a long moment, then the sound of a twig snapping caused me to spin around, as adrenaline began to course through my veins giving me the strength to run as fast as I could if I had to.

My eyes searched the shadows for the source of the noise, when a figure began to appear from the darkness. Drops of rain trickled down my face as my heart skiped a beat.

For a short second I wondered if it was dad. I had never told my mom that my dad would visit me at night sometimes – he would sit on my bed and talk to me for what felt like hours – for the mention of him would always make her sad, and when she met Phil she started to smile, she was finally happy, and I could not bring myself to ruin that for her.

And then one day – not long after my mom and Phil had married – he just stopped coming to see me. The last time I saw him he never said goodbye, never told me that it would be the last time.

I would sit by my window most nights and watch the trees at night, wondering where he was, and when he would come back. I used to wonder if I had done something wrong to make him not want to come back to see me.

He had always been everything I would want a father to be: he would listen when I talked, and give me adivce and even help me with my homework. He would even tickle me until I was fitting with laughter, and then leave when he heard my other coming down the hall to see why I was still awake.

After a while, I just stopped waiting...

As the figure moved closer it took only a second more for me to realize that this was not my dad, and that was when a trickle of fear set in. I took a step back. Apart from my dad I had never seen a male vampire and was not sure what he would do to me. Would he attack me? Would he bite me? Would he know what I was? Would that make a difference in whether or not he killed me? I knew that running would not work, for I was sure that no matter how fast I ran he would catch me, yet my human instincts urged me to flee from the danger infront of me.

I took another hesitant step back, feeling the hard bark of a tree against my back.

"Don't be afraid," he said, with a soft velvet voice as he came closer, "I'm not going to hurt you." Was he lying? Should I believe him? Why was he here in the woods with me if he was not here for me?

I then felt my breath catch in my throat, for even in the dim light of the forest I could see his face, and it was like I was seeing the sunrise for the very first time.

He looked as though he was in his early twenites, but more importantly, he was beautiful! His skin was as pale as the moonlight, his wet hair – in the dim light looked to be brown, and his eyes were the most extraordinary colour of gold.

As I gazed into his eyes I felt something click into place inside me, and for the first time in my life I felt as though I had been walking around with a hole inside of me, and that the missing piece was in his eyes.

I felt whole.

Complete.

I did not even know his name, and yet I knew that he was everything that I had ever wanted, or would ever need. How was that possible? Suddenly I knew it was no longer gravity holding me to the planet, it was him. I knew in that moment that I would do anything for him, or be anything that he wanted me to be.

As the emotions shot through me like lightening, I released the hold I had on my will, and allowed the tears to start falling down my already wet face. He instantly moved closer to me, until there were only a couple of inches between us. A cool hand came up to brush away the tears, and I found myself leaning into his cool touch. How could so much change in a few seconds.

"Please don't be afraid of me, Isabella," he said, as if he was talking to an old friend. I should have been terrified off him, yet I felt no fear what so ever.

I blinked at him. "I'm not," I answered, wondering why or how I could have ever been afraid of him in the first place.

Despite the continuous rain, we stood there in silence as the realization of the situation seeped through my mind, like a meteor shooting across the sky – it was so bright and beautiful that it needed no words to describe it.

After a couple of minutes I broke the silence. "How do you know my name?"

"I've been watching you for a while," he said, in a velvet soft voice that was almost as beautiful as his face. That should have creeped me out, yet I found it sweet that he would find me intresting enough to watch me. Was that wrong? Was that weird that I liked it? I should have found it wrong.

"You have?" I whispeared.

He nodded. "You are so beautiful...I knew you were mine the moment I saw you...but I had to wait for you to come to me...to choice me...I have no intentions of having a mate that does not wish to have me in return." I blushed at his compliment. No one had ever called me beautiful before, and it caused me to doubt whether or not he could see properly, for I had skin that was too pale, eyes that were a dull brown and brown hair would never lay right due to the wave in it.

I had thought that when a male bonded to a female that the bond would be equal for both sides.

In the back of my mind my dad's words echoed, _"I tried loving your mother, but not everything in this world is equal."_ I finally understood why he had left my mom.

 _Mate?_ I thought, while a smile tugged at my lips. There was no other way to explain why my mind and body was reacting the way it was, without it being the obvious. I had found my mate, and looking into his eyes had created the bond that would last forever.

"You know what I am?" I asked, feeling relived at the thought of having someone know what I was without having to worry that they would think I was insane or a freak.

The corner of his beautiful mouth twitched, as if he was fighting a smile. "Yes, beautiful I know." My face became warmer from the compliment. He cocked his head to the side, as he added, "You are a lot calmer then I thought you would be...all alone...in the dark with a monster...any normal person would have ran."

I shrugged. "I'm not normal...I thought you said you knew that?" Besides, I knew he would not hurt me. Strange how I had known him for mere moments and yet I trusted him with my life.

He shook his head, then narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are all hybrides as reckless as you? I leave you alone for half an hour and you wonder into the woods and get yourself lost. What were you thinking? You could have gotten hurt!" The trace of anger in his voice made me blink. He was angry at me!

I opened my mouth a couple of times but no sound came out. What was I suppose to say? What if I said something that made him more angry? In the back of my mind I knew that a couple of years ago I would have been annoyed that someone was repremanding me like a child, but it had been so long since any one actually cared about me enough to worry.

I was not sure how to answer his first question, so I skipped to the second one. "I...I'm sorry...I just...went for a walk and I got lost...were you watching me?"

He lifted a hand again and brushed my cheek with his cool fingertips, causing me to shiver in the already cold air. "Yes...I went mad with worry when I couldn't find you...do you have no concern for your own safty?"

"I'm sorry." I tasted the saltiness of the rain as I bit my lip.

Lifting my hand, I placed it on his chest where his heartbeat should have been, but instead where silence would forever dwelled.

Looking into his gold eyes, I saw all the emotions that were running rampage inside me reflected back at me.

Taking a deep breath I said, "What's your name?"

He gave me a one-sided smile, which caused my knees to go weak. "Edward Cullen. It's nice to officially meet you, Isabella." Edward? It was very old fashioned, but it suited him somehow.

"Bella, I prefer Bella." He leaned down and kissed me, with a gentleness – that most girls dreamed that their first kiss would be – that made me want to cry. His kiss tasted as sweet as his scent, which surrounded me like a blanket. What neither of us were expecting was my response.

Blood boiled under my skin, burned in my lips.

My breath came in a wild gasp.

My hands reached up and wound their way into his soft wet hair and pulled him closer to me as if I needed to prove to myself that he was real, and was not going to dissapear once I opened my eyes.

"Where have you been?" I whispeared against his lips, as his sweet breath washed over my face and I breathed it in as if it were my favourite perfume.

"Waiting for you," he whispeared back.

 **Thank you so much for reading. Please review. Tell me what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own twilight. I simply enjoy playing with the characters.

 **Here is chapter two. Any questions please ask me and I will do my best to answer you without giving away any spoilers.**

 **~*~ Chapter Two ~*~**

That night he put me on his back, without so much as a struggle or complaint from me and began to run through the trees at a speed that caused me to close my eyes, for the sight of the trees blurring was making me dizzy.

When he slowed to a walk I opened my eyes to see a huge house, with white brick walls, a wrap around porch and porch swing that made it look as though it had been taken out of a Jane Austen novel, and planted in the middle of the forest.

All the lights on the first floor were on, allowing me to see the large windows on the first and second floor, and I could just about make out the outline of the third floor, which I assumed would be the attic.

We were silent as he walked through the unlocked front door. He placed me down on the floor, as I gazed around at the pale walls, and wooden floor, with a wooden staircase that held an elegance to it that I had only seen in black and white movies.

The living-room was minimal with a Grey sofa, coffee table, flat screen TV, a large open fireplace with a pale marble mantle piece, and a painting which hanged above it. In the corner of the room stood a black grand piano.

Everything looked so clean, as if everything in the house was brand new and had not been used. How long had he lived here? Unbuttoning my wet raincoat he removed it from me and laid it on a nearby table, I then realized how soaked through my jeans and trainers were. I was starting to create a small puddle on the wooden floor.

My body began to shiver from the cold that I had not realized had seeped into my body, as Edward took off his wet shoes and placed them by the front door.

I hesitated for a moment, not sure if I should follow his lead, then decided that I could not stay in them and removed them – placing my socks inside. Edward took them from me and placed them next to his own. He looked me over, as if he was trying to decide something, then he disappeared for a few seconds before he came back holding a towel and a blanket.

"Here," he said, handing them to me. "I don't want you to get pneumonia." If he had been human I

would have found that comment ironic, for his clothes were soaked through. Raindrops stilling dripping from his hair.

I smiled, as I felt the cold denim of my jeans cling to my skin, sending shivers across my legs. "Thanks."

For a moment I thought he was not going to leave to let me change, then he said, "I'll give you some privacy." At vampire speed he disappeared, and I assumed he went upstairs to change his own cloths.

I placed the blanket on the sofa, then dried my face with the towel. I looked around just to make sure that he had not come back down stairs for any reason, before I peeled my jeans off, folded them and placed them on the coffee table – what else was I suppose to do with them? Picking up the towel again I quickly dried my legs, and feet.

I felt a rush of excitement and embarrassment at the thought of being caught like this. Finding a dry patch I used it to dry the damp parts of my hair – for a raincoat, the hood had never been very good.

I wrapped my jeans in the towel then placed them back on the table, then I picked up the blanket and wrapped it around myself, hiding my bare legs.

I looked at the painting – above the fireplace – of a young women in a period dress of the late eighteenth century. Her skin was as pale as porcelain, with hair the softest red, almost bronze.

The most beautiful green eyes stared back at me from behind a hand held fan, leaving the rest of her face a mystery. Who was she? Why would he have a portrait of a women in his house? Was she a past love?

I heard his voice behind me, making me startle. "That's my mother, Esme." I spun around to find him standing a foot away from me. I glanced back up at the painting, before I looked back at him. I could see the resemblance in his wet hair, and I could not help wondering if his eyes had once been the same beautiful green.

"She's beautiful," I said, even though it sounded stupid, for half of her face was hidden behind the fan. What else was I suppose to say? I then noticed that he had changed into dry jeans and a shirt. In the moonlight he had been beautiful, but now in the light he took my breath away. I felt a shiver travel down my spine, which had nothing to do with my lack of undress.

Edward smiled, with a soft emotion in his eyes. What was it? "I would agree...if you were not standing here in comparison." My face heated at the compliment. My skin tingled at the feel of his cold knuckles grazing my cheek. My heart skipped a beat. "I love this."

My thoughts scattered like broken glass, as I felt his hand leave my cheek and I longed for the feeling to return. I tried to think of something to say, however my mind refused to be held down long enough for me to make a coherent thought.

He chuckled, with humor in his eyes, as if he knew the effect he was having on me right now. Could he hear the way my heart was fluttering like a hummingbirds wing? I blinked a couple of times, as I pulled the blanket closer around me, for I was suddenly very aware that I was no longer waring any pants. That realization alone was enough to shock me out of the spell he had cast over me.

I opened my mouth a couple of times, but nothing came out, so I was thankful when he said, "If there is anything you don't like in the house, I can change it," he said, as if he were talking about something casual, like the weather.

I shook my head. "No, it's fine you don't have to do that." I wouldn't expect him to change his home for me, even if I would be living here with him.

"This is your home, I want you to be happy," he said taking my hand. I bite my lip as I looked around again. In the rush of everything I had forgotten about Phil. I wished I could say that he would worry about me if I did not return home however I knew that he no longer cared about me or anything besides the bottle in his hand.

I walked further into the room as I imaged myself living here with...Edward.

A home.

I had a house, but it had not felt like a home in two years.

I shook my head.

Was this a dream? Had I hit my head and this was all apart of my unconscious mind? Or had my prayers finally been answered? I had been so deep, drowning in the weight of responsibilities which had felt like a boulder on my chest, I had thought that I would never be free...and now it was gone, and I was finally free.

And for the first time in two years I was finally able to breath. The air almost tasted sweet as it filled my lungs.

As I looked at him I knew that I would never leave him, but would he leave me? Would he tire of me someday? No, a voice answered in the back of my mind, but then I wondered, was that what my mom thought? Had she believed that she would have forever with the vampire she loved, only for it to end before it had really began?

Only now, with my mate beside me, did I begin to truly understand what she must have felt when my dad had left, for although I had only just met Edward, the thought of losing him caused a pain to shoot through my chest that I never wished to feel again.

I suddenly had a thousand questions at once, yet I knew that they would never be answered. I looked away when he cocked his head to the side, knowing that he was curious as to why I was staring at him.

My eyes drew back to the piano. "Do you play?" I asked, feeling like an idiot as soon as the words were out. Why else would he have a piano?

"Yes, I have since I was a child. My mom saw it as a healthy way to pass the time. I'll play for you sometime...would you like a tour of the house?"

"Sure, I'd like that." Taking my hand he showed me the kitchen and dinning room – which was only there for show – then took me upstairs and showed me the library with more books then I had ever seen in my life. I could see myself spending hours in this room, for I had loved books since I was old enough to read. He showed me the three bedrooms – one of which was his – each with en suit bathrooms.

"Why do you have a bed, if you don't need to sleep?"

"Where else did you intend for us to spend our nights?" he said, with a crooked smile that awake the butterflies in my stomach.

I blushed again at his words, for I had never even been kissed before him and he was suggesting that we...we...I wasn't ready for that. I had only just met him.

I knew he was my mate and did not want to be without him, but the teenage human girl in my was twisting her hands with nerves. My bottom lip was firmly in-between my teeth, as I tried to think of something to say to break the silence that was surrounding us.

He noticed the expression on my face and took my face between his hands. "No, there's no rush...I'm not going to force you into anything you are not ready to do." Relief washed over me, thankful that he was so understanding.

"Thank you," I said, leaning up on my tiptoes to kiss him. It started off sweet and soft, but by the time Edward pulled back my skin felt heated. I tried to calm my rapid breath as new sensations ran through my body like electric shocks.

My stomach chose that moment to grumble it's displeasure at not being filled since breakfast.

"I should feed you." Taking my hand again he lead me downstairs to the kitchen, only letting go of my hand to walk to the fridge. Why would a vampire need a fridge anyway? Taking a seat on one of the chairs around the table I looked at the brand new kitchen – it looked too clean and shiny to not be new. I released my hold on the blanket, allowing it to rest on my shoulders.

While he cooked me a Spanish omelet I took the time to look at him properly. His bronze hair looked messy, as if he had ran his fingers through it. He was not big built, yet I could see the muscles of his back through his shirt as he moved.

What would it feel like to run my hands over his back? What would his chest look like without his shirt? Would there be chest hair or would it be completely smooth? I shook my head to clear my thoughts before I started to drool onto the table.

"Where did you learn to cook?"

He shrugged. "Cookery channels," he said with a lopsided grin. "I had to know how to feed you. You don't have any allergies do you?"

"No," I said, then added, "How long have you lived here?" He placed the omelet in front of me with a fork. Along with a glass of orange juice. I drank it back in one go, not realizing how thirty I was.

"A few months. But it's been in my family a very long time."

"Why would you want to live in Forks?" I asked, as I ate. Forks was not exactly an exciting place to be. Well, not until tonight.

"How else was I going to keep an eye on my mate?" The way he looked at me made me blush again, for he was looking at me as though he was seeing the sun for the first time – the same way I had looked at him. What was he doing to me? I had never felt this embarrassed in such a short time.

He brushed his knuckles over my cheek. "Your heart is fluttering like a hummingbird's wing." He lowered his hand after a moment. "Your food is going to get cold, and I will not have you go hungry." I decided not to tell him that there had been times when the cupboards had been rather empty and I had been forced to survive on very little until my next pay-check.

Picking my fork up I began eating again. I had to give it to him, he could cook, especially, for someone who no longer needed to eat food.

I glanced up at him when I had finished. "What do you eat?" My dad had had red eyes, but he would never tell me why his eyes were that colour, and strangely it had never creep-ed me out. Why were Edward's a light gold?

Was it possible for male vampires to have more than one eye colour, like humans?

He cocked his head to the side. "I don't kill people if that is what you are asking. I take what I need from animals." I stared at him for a long moment as if he had grown a second head.

"That sounds disgusting," I muttered, which caused him to chuckle.

"It's not that bad once you get used to it."

I swallowed, changing the subject. "How old are you?" It didn't matter all that much, but I was curious to know as much about him as he was willing to tell me.

"Twenty two." So I was dating an older man. I suppose a four year age gap was not that big of a deal. And hopefully I would not grow older then him too much, before the 'change' came over me and I was frozen in time forever.

I bit my lip as I sorted through all the questions running around inside my head. "How long have you been twenty two?"

"I was born in Chicago in 1912...my father Carlisle went missing when I was fourteen. He came back in 1933 – on my twenty second birthday...he turned me the same night."

"What about your mother?"

"She had already passed away, from pneumonia by that point."

"I'm sorry, I know how that feels." He gave me a soft smile, then stood and cleaned my plate away, not asking me to explain further. I tried to hold back the yawn that tried to escape, but he still heard it.

Before I knew it he had picked me up, the blanket falling to the chair, and carried me upstairs. I felt the cool of his body through his shirt, my fingers tickled the small soft hairs at the back of his neck, while my head rested against his shoulder.

He carried me down the hall and into his – our – bedroom, flicked the light on, and laid me down on the bed. I quickly slipped under the covers, thankful that my long sleeved top covered some of my modesty from his view.

I watched as he flicked the light off again and return to the bed within a second. I felt the bed dip as he laid on top of the covered, pulling me closer.

Just having him near me made me feel safe, as if nothing could hurt me, nothing could ever touch me while he was next to me. I was laying in bed with a vampire I had only known for what felt like ten minutes and yet it felt so right that I did not want to fight it. I trusted him more than I had ever trusted anyone in my life.

He kissed my forehead so softly that it felt like a caress. "I'm sorry...I would have given anything to have been able to hold you like this while you were crying."

I wanted to ask him – which time? But I assumed he was talking about the last two days, so I said,

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't want to appear in your bedroom and scare you...I wanted to know if you wanted me in return, in a setting which was comfortable for you...granted, meeting you alone in the forest could have gone differently."

I did not want to start an argument while I was on the verge of sleep, for I would not stand a chance at winning, so I simply said, "You were worth the wait." Maybe the universe was not as cruel as I first thought. After all it had lead me to this man.

This vampire.

I had walked through hell on me knees and my reward was a taste of heaven.

He chuckled, and I heard him say something, but it was too quiet for me to hear.

I think he said, "No, idea how true that is." but I could not be sure.

When I was in the world between sleep and consciousness I heard him whisper – while my head lay against his chest listening to the soft sound of his breathing – "And so the lion fell in love with the lamb..." he murmured against my hair – His arms wrapped around me protectively. The silence I found there was oddly comforting, for it spoke of forever. As I laid there in his arms I knew that I could stay here forever.

And I intended to have it.

Laying in his arms I knew that I had found the home for my heart.

"What a stupid lamb," I sighed, as my eyes closed.

"What a sick, masochistic lion." The darkness then took me. That was the first time I did not dream in sadness.

 **Thank you for reading, and please review xxx I will try to update as soon as I can, just give me a chance to read through the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me, it all belongs to Stephenie Meyer the genius creator of the Twilight Saga.

 **Thank you everyone for your comments, they make writing this worth it to hear what you all think so keep them coming.**

 **~*~ Chapter Three ~*~**

The next morning Edward cooked me a full English breakfast, which I found a little embarrassing, since my bottom half only consisted of my panties, but he was a perfect gentle and never looked at my bare legs like most men would have.

After I had eaten I pulled on my jeans which were still a little damp since they had been wrapped in the towel, I climbed onto his back and he ran us back to my house and climbed up the wall to my window.

Placing me on my feet I walked over to my tiny walk in closet and found a large duffel bag on the top

shelf. Placing it on the bed I packed some of my cloths and underwear, my iPod, the charger, my earphones, my hair brush, the picture of me and my mom that I kept under my pillow, since it was the only one I had of the both of us.

I pulled a cardboard box out from under my bed and looked at the contents for a moment as I contemplated what to take.

What was I willing to leave behind? I packed my pale yellow knitted baby blanket, for I hoped that I would some day use it to cradle my own child.

I picked up my pale wooden wind–up music box – my initials – I. M. S. were carved into the top of the lid – that my dad Charlie had given to my mom to give to me before I was born.

It held a couple of pieces of jewelery that had been passed down through the family, and held sentimental value.

I looked over at Edward as he leaned against my open window, causing a dream like memory to come crawling forth in my mind:

 _I was having a strange dream of being watched in the woods. Yet instead of being afraid, I ran through the woods searching for the presence that remained continuously out of sight._

 _I saw something move in the distance, and I ran towards it, however my legs would not allow me to run any faster then a jog._

 _Just as I was reaching the tree behind which the figure stood...I woke up with the quilt tangled around my legs where I had tossed and turned in my sleep. My eyes opened with a start, then my breath caught in my throat as my eyes caught sight of a dark figure by my window._

 _As quickly as I could I reached over to my bedside table, and turned on my lamp, and looked back at my open window._

 _But there was nothing there. Had I left my window open? I shook my head, for I must have. I was so tired due to the amount of hours I had been doing at the restaurant that I assumed I was imagining things..._

"Did you use to come into my room?" I asked quietly.

Humor appeared in his eyes. "I love watching you sleep, so I used to sit in the tree outside of your window...but sometimes I would come into your room, so I could be closer to you. My presence seemed to help calm you when you would have a nightmare."

"How often did you watch me sleep?" I asked, with curiosity.

He shrugged. "Almost every night." If he had been anyone else I would have been freaked out at the thought of a strange man watching me while I slept.

I wasn't sure how to reply to him so instead, I took the patch work quilt – my mom had made it for my fifteenth birthday– off the bed and folded and pushed it into the duffel bag. It had taken her weeks to hand stitch each of the squares together since we could not afford a sewing machine. Plus she had sacrificed all of my baby clothes, and a few perfectly good other pieces of material to make it.

I rushed to the bathroom and grabbed my bag of bathroom necessities and my toothbrush – I had not been able to brush my teeth since yesterday morning and my teeth felt nasty – and went back to my bedroom. I could hear the TV on downstairs, but since I had no shoes on my feet I knew Phil wouldn't hear me.

I paused as I listened to the TV downstairs, a small part of me felt back about leaving him with nothing, for I knew without any money, that the bills would pile up until someone would come demanding payment.

I bit my lip, as I contemplated what to do, but there wasn't anything that I could do. My paycheck was still downstairs on the side so I decided that that would get him through the month, but after that he was on his own.

"Are you alright, Bella?" Edward asked, seeing my expression.

I smiled, and nodded, then taking one more look around the bedroom that had been my nursery – pale turquoise walls, wooden floors and pale yellow curtains that were all that remained from my nursery days – I made sure that I had everything I needed, then I zipped up the bag.

Edward picked it up before I could and put over his shoulder. Climbing onto his back again, he jumped out of my window and landed on the ground with a light thud and took off running back to the house – our house? Was it too soon to call it that?

Our home? Was it too soon to think of it that way?

When we reached the house he left me in the living-room, and disappeared upstairs with the duffel bag. Looking around I walked over to the tall bookcase that was packed with D VD's.

As I scanned the titles I was pleasantly surprised to see that he had a copy of Romeo and Juliet. Putting it on to play I sat down on the sofa, curling my legs up beneath me. I hoped that he would seem me rude by doing so.

I looked up when Edward walked into the room with a glass of Orange juice in his hand. Placing the glass on the table he sat down next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. If you ignored the fact that he was a vampire and I was a hybrid we would have looked like a perfectly normal couple.

After a few minutes I felt him run his nose along my hairline, while his hand moved up my leg and squeezed my knee. Even through my jeans I could feel the electricity that his touch caused against my skin. Was that normal? Or was it purely him?

I closed my eyes when he moved my hair away from my neck and brushed my skin with butterfly kisses from my shoulder to behind my ear. I tried to focus on the actors on the TV while my breath hitched in my throat.

Biting my lip, I turned to look at him.

"Your biting your lip. Do you know what that does to me?" he growled, sending a shiver down my spine that made my skin tingle. Closing the gap between us I wrapped my arms around his neck, while his cool strong hands wrapped around my waist and shifted us so that I was beneath him. His lips were soft and demanding against mine.

The cool feel of his hands felt wonderful against my heated skin. How could he effect me so much?

I gasped, when he broke away, moving his mouth to my throat once again. "You smell wonderful...like lavender." With him this close I breathed in his own sweet scent as it surrounded my scenes like a perfume.

It's intoxicating.

Like a drug.

As I was about to pull him closer, he pulled away, lifting me into his lap while his arms remained wrapped around me. I tried to calm my rapid breaths as he kissed my hair.

"Bella, my control is not endless, and unfortunately you are too beautiful for me to resist," he breathed against my ear. It took me a few minutes to focus back on watching the DVD, but his hand continued to be a constant distract as it drew a line up and down my spine. Was he trying to drive me crazy?

That night after Edward had cooked me dinner – he wouldn't let me cook for myself, which was sweet and irritating at the same time, since I had been taking care of myself for so long now – and I had showered, brushed my teeth and my hair, I changed into my camisole and sleep shorts and crawled into bed, and into Edward's open arms.

Laying my head on his chest as I looked out the bay window and into the night, I asked, "What colour were your eyes when you were human?"

"Same colour as my mothers." So I was right. In that moment I wished I could have seen him with those eyes, to know how it would have felt to gaze into a colour so deep and mesmerizing.

"What was your mother like?" I hoped that I was not touching a sore subject.

I closed my eyes at the feel of his fingers running through my hair. "She was kind...beautiful...she was never afraid to put me in my place if I stepped out of line."

"Did you have any siblings?" I had always wanted a sibling, and so on some level I was disappointed when I found out that it would never happen.

"No, it was just me," he said, with a smile in his voice. I had been asking him questions most of the evening and I was surprised that he had not gotten tired of it yet.

I thought for a moment, changing the subject completely. "Can humans get pregnant by vampires?"

He was silent for a moment then, I heard him chuckle. "Where did that come from?"

I shrugged, since my mind was such a whirl wind of questions that I was not really sure where the question had come from.

For a moment I thought he was not going to answer.

He shook his head. "No...but that's why hybrid mates are so precious to the vampires that are lucky enough to find one. It means that they get to have the family that they wouldn't have had with a human mate...not that I would have loved you any less if you were purely human." So humans can be mates too?

I looked at him for a second as I wondered how much he knew about hybrid's..."But...what if the hybrid can't have children anymore, because she's stopped aging?"

He looked at me with surprise. "I suppose it happens, but most vampires have waited so long for their mate to come alone that, it doesn't matter...why do you ask? Are you trying to tell me something?" I could hear curiosity in his voice.

I gave him a small smile. "No...I was just curious." He looked at me curiously as a smile tugged at his mouth. "How old is your father?" I knew instantly what he meant.

I shrugged. "I'm not sure..." I thought for a moment. "U mm...twenties...maybe." Not knowing my dad's permanent age was frustrating, for I had no idea as to when my aging would stop. I could only hope that I would be able to have children before it happened.

I bit lip as a thought came to me. "What if I grow older then you?" A couple of years I could handle, but what if I got to my thirties before the 'change' occurred? I would feel like a cradle – robber, even though, technically, he would always be older then me.

His expression softened. "Bella, that wouldn't matter to me...I have waited for over a hundred years for you, so you'll always be my Bella...no matter how old you are." I leaned into his touch as his cool hand cupped my cheek. Electricity shot through my skin, causing my skin to tingle in a pleasant way.

Even though his scent was surrounding my senses, my mind was still a revolving door of questions, for once one had been answered another one appeared.

The way he was looking at me was making me want to kiss him and never stop so I took a moment to find a question to distract myself. "If your eyes are gold because you live off of the blood of animals, then what would cause a vampire to have red eye?" My dad's red eyes flashed through my mind.

He stared at me for a moment – surprised at my drastic subject change – as if trying to think about how to word his answer. "Those vampires feed on humans. It's the human blood that causes the red pigmentation in their iris."

"Breath Bella," he said after a moment and I felt myself taking in a breath. My dad had killed people? He had always been so kind and gentle with me that I could never imagine him hurting anyone, and a part of me wanted to tell Edward that he was wrong.

That my dad would never have hurt a fly, yet a louder part of my mind knew that Edward would not lie to me. Did my mom know? Had he told her how he lived? Or had he kept it from her? He had never told me, so maybe he had never told her.

I looked into Edward's eyes. What if Edward had chosen to live the same way? Would I have loved him any less? Would it have stopped me from loving him? I had bonded to him instantly before I had even known him. Would I have been able to look past it?

"My dad kills people," I whispered, not wanting to believe the words that had slipped out. Even though I had only ever seen him at night in my room, I had grown to know him as a perfect dad for he had never yelled at me, always laughing and smiling, listening to me talk about one thing or another.

When I was little – possibly four–years–old and I was afraid of the dark because of possible monsters under my bed, he would tell me that no monsters would ever hurt me while he was around and it would make me feel better.

How could someone like that do something so wrong? No, wonder he had never told me why his eyes were red!

"Bella, you have to understand that vampires need blood. If we try to live without it our thirst would grow to the point where it would become impossible to resist and the consequences of that would be a blood bath...plus, there are not many vampires out there that survive on the blood of animals, and not every vampire has the control to live in that way. But just because they feed on humans does not make them monsters, so please don't think that about your father."

I closed my eyes for a few second, and took a deep breath before I opened my eyes again. "He took the lives of innocent people. Only a monster would do that." My world was shifting beneath me and I did not know what to hold on to. How could a monster be so gentle? Was it mask to hide behind? Was the man I knew an act?

His eyes looked at me with sympathy. "What was your father's name?"

"Charlie Swan," I said, not sure how that would make a difference. Such a simple name for someone who was far from simple, or normal. Was that really his name?

He looked a little surprised, and shook his head. "I've heard of him. He's does feed on humans, but...they are not innocent. He is an acquaintance of my father's...my father has told me in the past that Charlie only hunts humans that are not innocent in any way."

I felt a wave of relief rush through me at his words. That was better right? That he was hurting people that would only hurt other people.

"How can he know that they are not innocent? You can't tell who someone is just by looking at them?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Some vampires have abilities that are magnified aspects of their personality...Charlie has the ability to sense the darkness in people."

I became curious. "Do you have an ability?" I would have thought that he would have told me by now if he did, but the revolving door of questions in my head just would not stop.

He shook his head. "No, abilities are not that common among our kind." I nodded, and decided on my next question.

"Edward, don't get me wrong, I'm pleased that you don't hurt anyone, but why do you do it? If it's your nature?" If so many vampires feed on the blood of humans, what made him want to be different?

He gave me a crooked smile. "Your not the first person to ask that question...and the answer is...I don't want to be a monster. I knew I would find you someday and I didn't want you to look at me with fear. Or hate."

Lifting my head I looked at him in the dim light. "Thirst is apart of who you are...if you had hurt someone by accident...I could not hate you for it. We all make mistakes. I mean, it's not as if your a serial killer." Strange how I could feel disgust at the thought of my own dad being a monster, yet the thought of Edward being one, was different. Was that the bond? Did I love him so much that I would have forgiven him for anything?

He shook his head again. "You really are amazing...I would love to know how your mind works." Lifting a hand he grazed my cheek with his knuckles, causing a delicious shiver to go down my spine.

"My thoughts really aren't that interesting." I felt thankful that he could not hear my thoughts – it would have resulted in a lot of blushing for me. Some thoughts should never be heard by anyone else.

"That's a matter of opinion." He kissed my hair, as I breathed in his sweet scent. Nothing could ever compare.

"Sleep now my Bella, I'll be here when you wake up."

"Don't you find it boring, watching me while I sleep?" I mumbled as I slowly drifted off. I felt my hair being moved away from my face.

"No, I love watching you sleep, it's fascinating." I could not think of anything that could be interesting about me sleeping, but if it made him happy then I was not going to complain, as it meant that even in my sleep I would know he was close to me.

"I love you," I mumbled so quietly that I barely heard it.

"I love you more," he whispered.

I finally drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

Please review and let me know what you think. xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

 **Here you go people, thank you so much for everyone who has reviewed. I appreciate you taking the time to write one, and for taking the time to actually read my story.**

 **~*~Chapter Four~*~**

 **Five Weeks Later. . .**

Walking forward I stared at myself in the long mirror before me, nerves running through my system, like electricity, causing my heart to race with the speed of a humming bird. The only sound in the room was my pounding heart. I couldn't believe I was actually here, doing this.

My hair had been put up into an up-do, which made me look more sophisticated, if that were possible. I took a deep breath, in an attempt to calm myself, and closed my eyes as I remembered the night – two weeks ago – that had lead to me standing here now...

Edward and I had talked into the early hours of the morning, until I had fallen asleep with my head against his shoulder. When I woke up, I stretched and looked out of the window to see that the sun had already begun to set.

Why had Edward not woken me up? He had been firm about me eating – he did not want me to go hungry – I looked around the room and noticed that he was not there.

After waking up with him everyday for the past three weeks, I had grown used to the feel of his strong arms wrapped around me, his scent surrounding me like a perfume that was only for me. So to wake up alone felt strange.

Throwing the duvet back I stood up and walked over to the bathroom, and took care of business – and washed my hands – before attempting to tame my hair, then gave up and just left it down, since I knew that Edward liked me with my hair down.

I then brushed my teeth and walked back into the bedroom and noticed something folded up on the couch that was pushed up against the wall.

I picked up the small white piece of paper on top of it.

 _Please wear this tonight._

I smiled in confusion and picked up the blue cloth and held it up so that I could see a pretty blue dress with layers at the bottom, a halter neck that would leave the top half of my back exposed. What was he up to? It couldn't be anything bad, so I slipped the dress on and wished that there was a long mirror in the room so I could see how I looked. It came to my knees – the layers moved freely as I moved.

With bare feet I opened the door and walked down the corridor, then stopped at the stairs as I saw red rose petals laid on the grown like scattered leaves in the wind.

White candles stood proud on side of each of the steps. I walked down the stairs my bare feet touching the softness of the petals, until I reached the wooden floor of the living-room, I glanced around the room and did not seem him anywhere.

I bit my lip as I continued to follow the path of rose petals and candles that lead to the kitchen door. I pushed the door open and took a deep breath through my nose; the smell herbs dancing through the hair. The kitchen table had been covered with a white cloth, while two small silver candelabra's stood on either end, as the last rays of light shinned through the window.

I could hear the soft voice of Brantley Gilbert singing softly in the background – he was playing my favorite song.

A romantic song.

Edward moved away from the cooker and wrapped an arm around my waist. He was dressed in trousers and a white shirt, which was unusual for him as he usual wore jeans and a t-shirt. What had brought this on? I felt as though I was missing something, but I could not put my finger on it.

"You look beautiful...then again, you always do...I love this colour on you. Do you like it?"

I nodded. "It's lovely, thank you." Smiling he took my hand he lead me to the chair and even pulled it out for me, then push in when I sat.

"What are you up to?" I laughed, with curiosity. He was going all out and I could not figure out why. He had cooked me dinner ever night and he had never gone to this measure before. So why tonight?

He looked so innocent, as if he had no idea what I was talking about. "What do you mean? I can't cook my mate a romantic meal? I thought you said that you were a natural born romantic?"

"I did..." I wasn't sure what else to say. Was I over thinking this? It was very sweet for him to do this, and I should just enjoy it.

When he placed the plate in-front of me my mouth began to water at the aroma. Picking up my fork I began to eat, while Edward took a seat next to me and watched with a small smile, despite the fact that I knew he saw the food as disgusting.

"Bella, if you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?" he asked, as I continued to eat. I thought about it for a moment. There were so many places I had not seen. How could I pick just one place when the world was so big?

I looked at him curiously – it was a random question. Where had that come from? And here I thought it was my job to ask the random questions.

"Italy," I answered, popping a piece of chicken into my mouth. The herbs danced across my tongue in a way that made me appreciate my luck of finding a mate with such a talent for cooking.

"Why Italy?" he asked, with curiosity.

I waited until I finished my last piece of pasta before I answered him. "Because my grandmother and my mom were born and raised in Florence...but I've never been, my mom never got along with her grandmother. That's why she used every dollar she had to move to Washington...and we never had much money, so traveling was not a luxury we could aford...I suppose it's in my blood. I like the idea of knowing where my family comes from, where they grew up."

He nodded, with a smile. "Do you speak Italian?"

I shook my head. "My mom Renee did, but she never taught me." I could remember her occasionally speaking in Italian when she was annoyed, and I assumed it was because she was saying something that she did not want me to hear.

He cleared my plate away, then offered me his hand. "May I have this dance?"

I screwed up my nose. "Edward, you know I don't dance."

"Please, just humor me." He looked at me in that way that always made my knees go soft, making me thankful that I was already sat down.

He dazzled me.

As if on cue, when I took his hand, Ed Sheeran began to sing about thinking out loud. He lifted me up onto his feet. His arm wrapped around my waist, holding me close while his other held my hand. He moved slowly, as the music filled the silence between us.

"You look very smart tonight," I complemented him, with a small smile.

Something passed through his eyes. "I only intend to do this once, so I wanted to do it properly." I watched him, I stepped off of his feet, and he took my hand and knelt down onto one knee. My mind froze in shock at the sight before me.

Oh.

My.

God.

Was he about to do what I thought he was going to do?

"Edward, what are you doing?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"Something, I've wanted to do since I saw those beautiful eyes," he said, causing a warm flush to cover my skin.

"Edward–" I began, but he interrupted me, "Please, just let me speak and then you can make your decision."

I bit my lip, then nodded. "Alright."

He took a deep breath. "Ever since I was turned, I never felt like I had a home...I have been to so many different places in this world, however I never felt as though I belonged there...I did not understand it then...now I do...I was waiting for you...Isabella Marie Swan I know I don't deserve someone like you, but I will spend the rest of Eternity making it up to you...will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

I did not see where he retrieved the velvet box from, all I saw was it opened to reveal an overall of small white stones laid above a silver base.

It was simple, yet beautiful.

I'm not sure how long I stood there silent as I stared at it. He had never told me he wanted to get married, so what brought this on?

After a long moment more I was about to find my voice. "It's beautiful...how much did it cost you?"

He looked as though he wanted to roll his eyes. "It didn't cost me anything...it was my mother's wedding ring."

My expression remained blank as I contemplated how to respond to that. "Edward...we've only know each other for a few weeks. Why the rush?" We had forever, so why was he so eager to get married now?

"Bella, I'm over a hundred years old, it's time I settle down...I come from a different time, where couples got married before they had children...I know times have changed, but in so ways I haven't...I want to do things right, for you and for our children."

I bit my lip, for I had never been the kind of girl that dreamed of getting married, and I had never been religious, but looking at his expression I could see that he meant the words he said.

My face heated before the words even left my mouth. "Does this mean you won't...sleep with me, until we're married?"

He gave me amused expression. "I can't actually sleep with you...but yes, you guess correctly." I looked away for a moment as I became more sober. This changed everything.

I sighed.

Wasn't this suppose to be a happy moment? He wanted to spend forever with me, and I knew I would never want anyone else, so what was the problem? Why was I hesitating?

I sighed again, for I knew the answer to that question. "I don't know how to be a good wife?" I don't know how to be good enough for him. Renee and Phil had made it look so easy – they had been best friends and never argued.

Standing up he cupped my face with his hand. "Bella, you are everything to me. I just want you to be you...from where I come from, this is how people say I love you."

My lip would be chewed raw by the end of this night, if I kept this up, yet my teeth could not let go of my lip. My thoughts ran wild as I tried to come to a decision.

He watched me quietly, which I was thankful for.

I could say no.

Or...

I could say yes.

Both lead down two different paths, and I contemplated both of them as the silence continued as if the world was holding it's breath waiting for the word that would change my life. If I said no, would he keep asking me until I said yes?

I closed my eyes, and took a deep breath, before opening my eyes and looking at his bright gold ones.

"Yes." I had no time to contemplate the meaning behind the word I had just spoken, for the look in his eyes and the smile on his face, made me forget all my previous worries and concerns. It had been worth seeing the happiness on his face.

Releasing my hand he took the ring out of the box, pocketed the box and placed the ring on my left hand. It fit perfectly, as if it was always meant to be there.

Before I could take a moment to breath, he wrapped me in his arms and kissed me with a fever that sent shivers running down my spine, my breath speed up, catching in my throat at the feel of his hands around my slim waist, as my hands wound their way into his hair...

Had it really been two weeks ago? It felt as though I had only blinked and the time was gone. I was not sure how Edward had managed to organize everything in that short time, but he had assured me that money was no object for him, which made me wonder how much he had to pay the hotel to allow us to have our wedding here in such short notice.

I opened my eyes and looked at my reflection again. My cheeks were flushed, while the white satin of my dress flowed down my slim body in the shape of a lily. The lace on my back, allowed a slight glimpse of the paleness of my back. It was a beautiful dress and although I would never admit it out loud, I actually felt beautiful. My lace vail was held secure by a simple hair comb, as it fell down my back.

The room I was in was nice, and although Edward had slept next to me all night I had struggled to find sleep.

The women who had come to do my hair had also done my makeup, and to my relief she had made it soft and subtle. She had been nice, and it had felt comforting to have someone there to talk too while my nerves turned my stomach into a knot.

But then she had left and I was left alone. It could not have been more than a couple of minutes later when I heard someone open the door – she had not locked it after she had left – then turning I saw a man about Edward's build walk into the room, causing me to blink a couple of times.

He looked like Edward in a sense, with his pale gold eyes and snow white skin, except his hair was pale blond and he had a old–fashioned move star beauty about him.

He smiled at her warmly. "You must be Isabella. I'm Carlisle – Edward's father."

"Oh," was all I could say.

Edward had not told me he was coming today.

"I take it, you were not aware of my arrival?"

I shook my head. "No, he never said anything..."

"Then am I to understand that he also did not enlighten you as to why I am here?" He had completely lost me, and yet I continued to try and follow him. I shook my head with a small smile.

Carlisle looked at the watch on his wrist, causing me to look at what he was wearing and I was surprised to see that he was wearing a black suite with a white shirt and a small white rose in his breast pocket.

He look back up at me with a kind smile. "Edward has informed me that your father is unable to walk you down the isle...so if you will allow me, I would be honored to walk you." What? I was shocked for a long moment, and all I could do was stare at him like an idiot. What was I meant to say to that?

Would it be so bad to say yes, it was just a short walk, and I had been dreading walking down the isle alone, even if it would only be a couple of people to witness it. I knew I did not have time to debate about this in my head, and I did not want to anger my future father–in-law. Once again I wished that my dad was here to walk me down the isle himself, for wasn't that what a dad was meant to do?

"Thank you, I would appreciate that." He smiled – there was a kindness in his eyes that made me feel safe and comfortable.

He looked at me for a moment as if he was trying to figure something out. I saw him take a deep breath in, then his expression changed to surprise. "You're a hybrid." I was not sure if he was asking me a question or if had been stating a fact.

"Yes," I said, not sure what else to say. Why did he look surprised? Was I not what he expected? Had he expected someone beautiful? Someone taller then five foot? Was he expecting me to be human? Or a vampire?

"I apologize, it's been many years since I have met someone who is like you. Would you mind if I asked you some questions when we have a moment to talk?"

"Sure." What could he possible want to know?

I looked over at the clock on the bedside table, then slipped on my flat white shoes, and picked up my bouquet of white roses. I looked at Carlisle as the nerves threatened to twist my stomach into a maze.

"You have no reason to be nervous, you look beautiful," he said, holding his arm out for me to take. I blushed as I took it and we walked out of the room and down the hall. It felt nice to have someone to cling to as we walked down the stairs leading to the lobby.

I could feel my heart beating fast, as we walked across the lobby, but I paid no mind to anyone else who may have been in the room.

When we stopped by a pair of wooden doors, Carlisle released my arm long enough to lay my veil over my face before placing my hand back onto his arm.

A young man I had seen working in the hotel, stood by the doors, and smiled at me before he opened the door. I heard the soft melody of music start, my heart skipped a beat as I saw people standing before white chairs, waiting for me with smiles.

If it wasn't for Carlisle moving us forward, I would have stood there like an idiot staring at all of their faces. As I passed them I noticed that these were all of my friends from high school and my friends from the restaurant.

When my eyes found him, everyone else was lost, no one else in the room mattered or even existed. It no longer mattered that he had arranged for me to have a normal wedding, with the people I cared about, for he was only one I truly cared about. I could live without any other them. He was my life now, he was my forever.

Standing before him, I suddenly saw how silly I had been to fear this, as if it were an unwanted birthday gift or an embarrassing exhibition. Carlisle placed my hand in Edward's, then I looked up into Edward's shining, triumphant eyes and knew that I was winning, too, because nothing else mattered but that I could stay with him.

There was nothing in this world that I would ever want more than Edward. We exchanged our vows, although, till death do us part had been removed.

I slipped the silver band on to Edward's finger, then it was his turn to place my silver wedding band upon my finger – infront of my engagement ring – where it would remain forever. I had looked upon marriage as just being a piece of paper, but standing here in-front of all of my friends and the love of my existence, I knew that it was much more than that.

It was the beginning of forever.

"I do," I said, feeling the emotions inside of me bubbling to the surface and I knew that if I blinked the tears would roll down my face, in a joy I had never experienced before.

"I do," he said, loud and clear, but I could see all of my emotions in his eyes shinning brightly back at me, reflecting mine as if we were two half's of a mirror.

"You may kiss the bride."

"I love you," he whispered to me.

"I love you." Leaning down he kissed me softly, however my arms wrapped around his neck pulling him to me. I forgot the crowd watching us, all I remembered was that he loved me, that he wanted me, that I was his, forever. The sound of applauding brought me back to the realization that we were in-front of a group of people, and my face heated up with embarrassment.

The wedding flowed into the reception party smoothly – proof of Edward's flawless planning. The dinning hall glowed with the light of the chandelier's, creating a calm romantic atmosphere. Every one was seated to tables of four, while Edward and I were seated at a table on our own, giving us a moment of privacy in the crowded room.

The tables were laid out in white satin table cloths, white rose center pieces, and little gift bags for the guests – I could only guess what was in them, but if it was anything like the rest of the wedding then it would be nothing cheap.

His fingers entwined with mine as the room filled with chatter, his thumb rubbing the back of my hand.

"How did you do all of this in two weeks?" It amazed me that he managed to squeeze what took most people a year, in a such short time.

He smiled, with a shrug. "It wasn't that difficult...I don't understand what women are always complaining about."

I rolled my eyes, for it was possible to do anything when you have no boundaries with money.

My stomach was thankful when the waitresses appeared with the first course; mascarpone and fig tart, which was followed by chicken in mushroom sauce, vegetables and roasted potatoes, and to finish, a lemon meringue tart.

I could not help chuckling at the expression on Edwards face as he attempted to eat enough of the food in front of him, so as to not cause suspicion.

After the final plates were taken away Edward surprised me by standing up, with the glass of champagne in his hand, and I instantly knew when the room went silent that he was going to make a speech.

"It's an extraordinary thing to meet someone who you can bare your soul to. And who will accept you for what you are. I've been waiting, what seems like a very long time, to get beyond what I am. And with Bella, I feel like I can finally begin. So I'd like to propose a toast to my beautiful bride. No measure of time with you will be long enough, but let's start with forever."

Everyone raised their glasses as the embarrassment in my face reached a new level of red.

I was nervous when Edward pulled me to him for our first dance and the music began to play, and a blush crept over my cheeks as I became the spot light for everyone else in the room, once again. He looked so handsome in his black suite, with a white shirt and a little white rose in his breast pocket. He looked beautiful.

My Greek Adonis.

With his hands on my waist, and my arms wrapped around his neck, we moved slowly with the gentle music playing.

I looked up at him. "I can't believe you did all of this...why didn't you tell me that you had invited them?" I said, quietly knowing that only he would hear me as the guest created a circle around us, a Photographer clicked away at his camera as me and my husband danced. How long had he been here?

He gave me his crooked smile. "If I had told you – it would not have been a surprise. I wanted everything to perfect for you, Mrs Cullen."

I blushed at his words, for I had just gotten used to him calling me his fiancee, and now I was his wife. I really hoped that all of our wedding photos were not of me with a red face.

"It's perfect, because it was with you. I don't need anyone but you. How did they even get here?" I knew some of them had college to attend.

He smiled softly. "I called them each individually, since there was no time for official invitations...I paid for their travel costs to come here and to return."

I shook my head. "Thank you." How did he know to give me my perfect wedding when I had not even known what that was myself?

After our dance ended, the music changed to a more upbeat tune and people began to dance while at the same time I was hugged by one person after another, each one congratulating me and Edward. I answered endless questions of how did we meet, how did he propose, and why did I not tell them that I was dating someone. I also made up excuses as to why only Edward's father was attending our wedding.

When I was not talking I was dancing with Edward, or one of my friends or even Carlisle's – although no one announced it as the father daughter dance, I closed my eyes and for a moment I was able to pretend.

It felt nice to be around my friends again, for it felt familiar and safe, despite the white lies I had to tell since I could not tell them the truth without sound like a crazy person.

I promised to keep in touch with most of them, even though I would probably never see any of them again, since it would become to complicated to explain why Edward or I are not ageing.

The thought saddened me, yet at the same time I knew that what I was getting in return was well worth the sacrifice I was making.

I was not surprised when another pair of arms wrapped around me while a squeal filled my ear – Edward was never far from me, untill he went to go get me a coke from the bar.

Victoria continued to squeal as I watched Edward walk away. "I can't believe your married at eighteen... _your not pregnant are you_?" she whispered the last part, and sadly she was not the first one to ask that, which was what I should have expected from all of them – if I had know that they were coming here today, of course.

I gave her a look. " _No_ , I am not pregnant." I could not them for asuming that I was for Forks was a small town and people from small towns have small town ways and those habits die hard. "Edward is just old–school."

She smiled. "Old–school? Is that some sort of kinky fetish that I am not familiar with?" I stared at her and could not help laughing, for I had learned very quickly that Victoria had one thing on her mind at all times.

Over the last two years I had become fond of my work friends and I would miss them, but I was being given much more then I could have ever wished for in return.

Edward reappeared beside me with a glass of coke with a slice of lemon and ice. The cool liquid felt nice as it ran down my throat.

Edward and I paused for a photo as we cut the wedding cake; it was three tiers with a simple red ribbon icing that wound it's way around the tiers.

White icing, red sponge and a vanilla flavoring.

I ate the forkful Edward fed me, and then it was Edward's turn, I had to laugh at the look in his eyes for I could see the disgust there, even though his expression hid it well.

Despite the last minute invitations almost everyone had managed to buy us gifts, and I was thankful that Edward had at least respected my request that he not buy me anything, since he was already giving me him. Which was much more then I deserved.

I can't remember the last time I had talked so much in one day, so I was relieved when it was finally time for the goodbyes which took longer, then I thought it would, and when we made it back to our room in the Hotel, Edward helped me out of my dress, leaving me in my bra and panties – the most exposed I had ever been in-front of him. It wasn't until that moment that I remembered what was suppose to happen to night.

A bundle of nerves came alive in the pit of my stomach and although I wanted this experience, I was nervous at the thought of being that exposed to him. Of letting him see me in a way no man had ever seen me.

Even though I was in my underwear I refused to lift my arms and cover myself, and I was surprised that his eyes did not leave my face. Was that normal? I had no real experience when it came to men, so I was not sure. Did he not want to look at my body?

He smiled at me, cupped my face with his hands and kissed me softly. My hands wrapped around the collar of of his black jacket and pulled him closer.

"You look dead on your feet," he chuckled against my lips. And I could not deny that I was bordering on exhaustion, but I fought against the heavy feeling in my eyelids.

Once again he surprised me by scooping me up in to his arms, carrying me to the bed and pulling the duvet over me.

He removed his jacket, shirt and shoes before he laid under the covers with me and wrapped his arms around me in a protective manner. The exhaustion in my body took over and I fell into sleep as soon as my head lay on his chest.

The next morning I woke up to breakfast in bed – room service, and then an hour later we were boarding the plane and we began our journey too...I had no idea, since he would not tell me. And since he had already packed my luggage for me I could not even sneak a peak at what was in the suitcase and duffle bag.

 **I'm really sorry to leave you there, but I will be back with another chapter. As usual please review and tell me what you think.**

" **There will be a link uploaded with the next chapter for those who wish to read the lemon in the chapter."**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Twilight.

 **I'm sorry this took so long for me to read through, but I have been really busy.**

 **I would like to thank, Vampirelady13, Leibeezer and Starryeyedx3 for your comments. It it wonderful to hear your comments. As promised there is a lemon in this chapter so please look at my profile for the link to view the lemon vision.**

 **~*~ Chapter five ~*~**

I could hardly contain my excitement when I heard the boarding call for the plane, for despite my pleads, Edward had kept the location of our honeymoon a complete mystery. First class was better than I had thought it would be, with the cream leather seats, people drinking champagne and meals that were brought to the passengers.

The excitement of our destination was pinning around inside me like a whirlwind. After I ate my small ready meal of lasagna, I got through two packets of peanuts, and two glasses of coke, since the flight was long and it was free.

By the time we landed the sun was already beginning to set. Getting off of the plan we got into a waiting taxi, and Edward spoke to the taxi drive in Italian. Florence was even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined it would be.

I bit my lip as I looked at him. "I didn't know you spoke Italian?" There was something...sexy the about the way the words sounded on his tongue.

He shrugged. "I've aquired many languages over the years." I could not help wondering if they all sounded beautiful coming from his mouth.

While Edward held my hand, I looked out of the window, and took in every inch of the beauty that was the history that surrounded me. It felt strange to know that my mother and grandmother were born and raised in this city.

As the minutes passed, the jet lag began to make my eyelids heavy and I rested my head on his shoulder. The smooth movement of the car was oddly relaxing, and at some point during the drive I fell asleep.

"Bella, love wake up." My eyes fluttered open at the sound of his voice. The taxi had stopped, but the darkness outside covered everything like a blanket. Where were we? Why weren't there any lights anywhere? And more importantly, how long was I asleep?

Edward paid the taxi driver, then collected the luggage from the trunk. He placed the duffle bag over his shoulder, while he carried the suitcase in his hand. "Where are we?" I asked, as the taxi drove away, leaving us alone in the dark.

He shrugged. "I may have rented us a house," he said, as if it was something he did every day. I looked at him – in the dime light – with suprise. I should have expected him to do something like this, yet it still surprised me. Why? I knew he was wealthy, yet the possibilities that his money created, continued to suprise me.

As if he saw the question within my eyes, he said, "I tried to think of everything that would make this...easier." I bit my lip as my face warmed at the meaning in his words.

I took a deep breath. "Where is it?" I asked, trying to see anything in the darkness around us.

His cool fingers wrapped around mine. "This way." With my hand firmly in his own I began to follow him, trusting his eyesight, to keep me from tripping on something unseen by me.

The crunch of gravel under our feet was the only sound in the night around us. A shiver ran down my spine as a cool chill drifted through the air, like the first cold kiss of a winter morning.

We walked for what felt like a couple of minutes, before he stopped and lifted me into his arms. I laughed with suprise. "What are you doing?" I could barely make out the outline of his features.

"I'm nothing if not thorough," he said, carrying me for only a moment before I heard him open a door, then flicked on a light – I blinked at the sudden light – revealing a beautiful cream coloured foyer, with old–fashioned oil paintings on the walls and a dark wooden staircase twisting up and around to the second floor.

I was mesmerized by the splendor of the beauty before me. I would have been happy with the simplest things, yet he reached passed my expectations and gave me everything beautiful he could touch. And I wished that he wouldn't, for I had no way of repaying him, no method of giving him back what he had given me.

As he continued to carry me upstairs, he flicked on lights as he went. When he opened a door and flicked on a light revealing a pretty bedroom with a _huge_ white four poster bed, wooden floors, and two glass doors that lead to a small balcony, a sense of stage fright attacked my systym like an electric currant.

He placed me down on my feet, then placed the duffle bag and suitcase down next to the door.

My heart thudded audibly against my ribs, and my breath seemed to get stuck in my throat. I could feel Edwards eyes on my face, but I refused to meet his gaze.

"Would you like a human minute?" he asked, after a long moment of silence. His voice was hesitant, almost nervous. Was that just my imagination?

I nodded, since I did not trust my voice at that moment. He gave me a small smile, then left me alone in the room – I knew that he would not go very far, and the thought comforted me, even as my body vibrated with nerves.

I spotted a door on my left, and was relieved to discover that it was a bathroom. Quickly grabbing my bathroom bag from my duffle bag I went back into the large bathroom and looked at myself in the large mirror.

My usually pale skin was flushed, my eyes were wide, while my chocolate brown hair fell down my back. I took a couple of deep breaths, then I brushed my teeth meticulously, twice, then I washed my face – the cool water felt nice on my skin, so I decided to take a shower – I put my hair in a bun – for I needed to calm down and hot water was one reliable way to do that. Also shaving my legs again seemed like a pretty good idea.

When I was done, I grabbed a huge white towel off the counter and dried myself off, and pulled the hairband out of my hair releasing my bun. Placing my damp towel in the laundry basket I grabbed the white dressing gown hanging from the wall. I was then faced with the dilema of what I should do next. Should I go out in the dressing gown and nothing else? Should I put something back on?

My breathing started to accelerate, and my hands trembled – so much for the calming effects of the shower.

I started to feel a little dizzy, apparently a full–scale panic attack on the way. I sat down on the cool tile floor and put my head between my legs. I prayed he would not come back to the room before I could pull myself together.

I could only imagine what he would think if he saw me going to pieces like this. He would insist that we wait until I was ready.

And I was ready...wasn't I? Apart of me that had been dormant for years, had been awoken by his touch, yet another part of me...feared the unknown. How was I suppose to do this?

This felt exactly like having to walk out infront of a theatre full of thousands with no idea what my lines were. How did people do this? – swallow all their fears and trust someone else so implicitly with every imperfection and fear they had – with less than the absolute commitment Edward had given me?

If it weren't Edward out there, if I didn't know in every cell of my body that he loved me as much as I loved him – unconditionally and irrevocably and, to be honest, irrationally – I'd never be a ble to get up off this floor.

But it _was_ Edward out there, so I whispered to myself, "Don't be such a coward." I scrambled to my feet. I tightened the belt around my waist and opened the bathroom door. The room softly glowed with the light of white candles all around the room. How long had I been in the bathroom? And where had he gotten the candles from?

As my eyes scanned the room, they landed on the opened glass doors; a soft cool breeze was flowing in – the curtains danced to the rhythm of the breeze.

I took a couple of tentative steps into the room, as the cool night breeze brushed against my skin. Edward stood on the balcony, with his back to me. He had removed his shoes, socks and coat. I stood there for a moment, not sure what I should do. Then, as if he could hear my thoughts he turned towards me. His pale skin glowed in the moonlight.

He had never looked more beautiful, then in that moment. All my fears, all my nevers became stronger when I looked into those deep gold eyes. Even though everything that had happened, had lead to this moment – and I wanted it – the virgin in me was panicking.

With slow movements, he walked towards me. Gold eyes looked into brown, as if he was searching for something.

"Are you tired?" he asked, as he stood a couple of inches away from me.

I shook my head. I was, but the hurracain of emotions inside me had driven the need for sleep away.

"We don't have to do this now...there's no rush."

I bit my lip. "I want to." I was surprised how steady my voice was when it came out.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," I whispered. His cool hand cupped my cheek, as he leaned down, and kissed me with a tenderness that curled my toes as my hands found their way into his soft hair.

With the small amount of energy I had left, I rolled over onto my side and laid my head on his chest, while my arm lay across his waist. His arms wrapped around me, and I felt like I was home.

The only sounds were our breathing and my heartbeat racing as my body came down from it's high. Like a drug that takes you so high that it takes longer to come back down to earth. Yet at the same time, I longed to fly high again, so I could once again feed my new found addiction.

Why had I been so nervous? It had been more perfect and wonderful than I could have ever wanted it to be. My body still tingled at the memory of his hands on my skin, his lips on my neck, my hand in his soft bronze hair. There was a thin layer of sweat over my skin, while his skin remained cool – a nice sensation against my warm skin.

I felt my chest expand with love, to point where it felt as though my chest could barley contain it. And he loved me back.

Being that close to somebody else, showing him what no guy had ever seen before, made me feel thankful that he had been my first, and would be my last.

I drew circles on his chest with my fingers.

"What has you thinking so hard?" he asked, touching the small V between my furrowed brows. I shrugged. "It's nothing..."

"Tell me," he said in a soft curious voice. I was silent for a moment. Did I want to know the answer? "Why did you pick me? Out of all of the women in the world, why me? I'm nothing special." He shifted so that he was hovering over me once again.

He looked annoyed, and sighed. "I didn't choice you, Bella. Fate did. Every vampire has a mate...someone who is perfect for them in every way. Someone who gives them everything that they need. I have never found a woman more beautiful than you. I've never found one I wanted to spend forever with...you are my mate, you are everything to me. And if I hear you describe yourself as 'nothing' again I will take you over my knee."

I nodded. Would he really spank me? He looked serious. That should have scared me, or annoyed me for being treated as though I was a child, but instead it sent shivers down my spine in a delicious way that shot right to a certain place that had woken up from a long dormant sleep. I tried to keep my expression calm, and not let him see what his words had made me feel.

However he smiled, and something flashed through his eyes. "You are insatiable for me...am I really that good?"

I wanted to roll my eyes at him, for how could he not know what he had done to me? How his touch alone sent my mind into a fog that I became lost in. "You are so cocky."

He raised his eyebrows at me. "I didn't hear you complaining ten minutes ago." I blushed, even though he had seen everything I had to show. He chuckled, leaning down to kiss me. As he rolled back onto his back he wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling my body closer to his, I wondered if forever would be long enough with him.

The next morning I woke up to feel of Edward kissing down my spine. I moaned at the feel, but when I stretched I noticed a soreness in my limps and a tenderness between my thighs. I had not noticed that last night.

"Don't start something you are not prepared to finish, Mr Cullen." I smiled to myself. He groaned,

"I would love to, but you will be too sore for a couple of days, Mrs Cullen." He disappeared from the bed and pulled on a pair of Jeans and a shirt. "What would you like for breakfast?"

I smirked. "You." Now that he had given me a taste of what I had been missing, I craved more.

His eyes darkened. "Don't tempt me," he warned. "Get dressed and we can go get you some breakfast.." Stretching I rolled over onto my back. I could have stayed in bed for the rest of the day, but I really needed a shower.

Throwing back the duvet cover I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom, closing the door out of years of habit. It was all pale walls and porcelain sinks and marble counter tops. The splendor of it made my old bathroom look so plain and boring.

I could not deny that Edward had spared no expense when it came to our honeymoon, or our wedding. I took care of my morning business, brushed my teeth and my hair – before putting it into a ponytail. I had a glow about myself that I had not had before, my eyes looked brighter and there was a pink flush along my cheeks.

I looked happier then I had in a long time. I took longer in the shower then I had intended as the water felt wonderful against my skin as it warmed me. Reluctantly I turned off the water and dried myself, before dressing in a pair of jeans, trainers, a top and a jacket since there was still a coolness in the air.

We took a gentle stroll through the streets, stopping at a couple of market stools, where we bought a couple of sovereigns, then continued on our way towards a little restaurant with a beautiful old-fashioned décor

We were seated at a little table at the back in a private section that allowed us some privacy from the other customers.

"I still can't believe I'm in Italy," I said, when the waiter had left with my order – Edward had ordered it for me in fluent Italian.

"I know, you've been talking in your sleep," he said. My hand paused, my glass just touching my lips when his words shot through me like electricity.

I had not done that since I was a kid, and it had been embarrassing enough when my mom would tease me about something she had heard me say. What had he heard? What had I said? Oh, god the thought of what I could have possibly said in my state of sleep, sent a hot flush across my cheeks.

"Oh, god," I said, covering my face to try and hide my obvious embarrassment. "What have you heard?" I peeked out at him from behind my fingers, as if I could hide as long as my hands covered my face.

He cocked his head to the side, with a soft smile. "You've been talking a lot more since we have come here...you have talked about your mother...you miss her...you occasionally talk about your father, but the majority of the time you say my name."

"A lot?"

He cocked his head to the side. "How much do you consider a lot?"

"Oh." was all I could say. I had no idea that I was such a blabber mouth when I was asleep. I wanted to believe that he had not heard anything too embarrassing, but the slight humor in his eyes told me that there was more then what he had told me.

He looked thoughtful, changing the subject slightly. "To be honest, when I found you I was surprised when your father did not show up to protect you. Most male vampires are fiercely protective of their daughters'...I waited, but after a few weeks I realized that he wasn't going to show himself."

I felt a twinge of hurt at his words. Did my dad stop caring about me? Or had he never cared about me? No, I did not believe that, I could still remember the look in his eyes when he would look at me and it was the same look that my mom had given me. It was a look of love.

He had loved me, as a dad should.

He must have seen the hurt in my eyes because he leaned across and took my hands in his. "No, I didn't mean that he had abandoned you. It is rare for a male not to feel a bond with his daughter, and if he hadn't, you would not even know what he looked like." His words gave me a small amount of comfort. But that did not explain why he had left me without so much as a goodbye.

Edward searched my eyes for something. "How much do you remember of your father?" He had genuine curiosity in his eyes, though why I did not know.

I shrugged. "Ever since I could remember he would climb through my bedroom window, and we would just talk...about everything. Or he would lay with me until I fell asleep, because I would have nightmares about monsters under my bed...then one day he just stopped..." The memory of crying into my pillow when my daddy stopped coming to see me flashed through my head. As a child it had hurt to be abandoned in such away, and not being able to tell my mom had made it worse.

"That doesn't sound like a father that would simply walk away," he said softly

I shrugged again. "Then why didn't he come back?" I could feel the emotions building up inside me, and I had to take a deep breath to calm it before it tried to escape.

"There's only one reason, and you wouldn't like to hear it." I could hear the truth in his words, as realization hit me. Looking into his eyes I saw the same answer that I had found in his words, and I wondered if it were better if I pretended not to know what I had seen.

Maybe ignorance would be bliss, for as long as I pretended, then he was still out there somewhere. In my head I could pretend that he would come back some day and I would see his handsome face again.

I smiled inwardly as I finally found the closure that I had been looking for. He hadn't left me.

I took a shaky breath in as I made my decision. "I don't want to hear you say the words..." He looked at me for a long moment before he nodded and gave me a weak smile.

Trying to think of something else to occupy my mind I noticed something that Edward had just said. "You kept saying 'daughters' but surely it's possible for hybrids to have sons as well."

He shook his head. "Bella, hybrids are incapable of carrying sons. They only ever have daughters, that's why males are so protective. Sons may be impossible to conceive, but daughters are almost as hard to conceive."

I cast my mind back when my mom was showing me the research she had done on the family tree – one of her many phases – and on her mother's side as far back as a hundred years there were nothing but girls. I had found it strange at the time, but I had never thought anything of it.

And my mom had never mentioned anything.

"Didn't your mother teach you anything, about being a hybrid?" he asked in a soft voice.

I pulled my hands out of his and put them in my lap. "She told me bits and pieces...things that I needed to know, just in case I became a mate, but when she met Phil all talk about what we were stopped, since she spent most of her time with him and it wasn't possible for him to know the truth."

We had looked like a normal family, but it had been hard, especially when I had so many questions that I wanted my mom to answer and knew that I could not ask her. For she preferred to pretend that we were normal.

He nodded, then asked. "Did she tell you anything about pregnancy?" _Where had that come from?_ I thought.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Why?"

He shifted in his seat, leaning his arms on the table as he leaned closer to me. "I may be old, but I am not all knowing...I don't know what to expect from a...special pregnancy." He said glanced at the other people in the restaurant even though I was sure that they would not have been able to hear what we were saying.

I smiled, as my mom's words echoed through my mind. "Umm...it's as normal as any pregnancy could be." Which included the good and the bad. Or at least that was what my mom had told me.

"What about the baby?" I could hear the curiosity in his voice.

His glancing around had made me a little paranoid and even I was not willing to say the word 'hybrid' in this public place. I knew that even if someone did over hear us that they would not know the true meaning of what we were talking about, but was I willing to take that risk?

I shrugged, since I only knew the bare essentials. "Because of who my dad was, I was born with a high immune system, which is why I have never gotten sick." My mom used to very occasionally keep me from school, with the excuse that I was unwell – so that I appeared to be like other kids my age. Especially when the chicken poxs went through the school like a wild fire.

I cocked my head to the side, something I have seen Edward do before. "Why the sudden curiosity?" He had not really said much about children and I had not brought up the subject with him.

An expression passed through his eyes that I could not place "I just wanted to know what to expect, when your expecting."

A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "How many are you expecting?" I asked, as the waiter came back with a chicken and mushroom pasta dish that I could not pronounce. When he had walked away Edward said, "Bella, as long as I get to have you forever that is all that matters to me...and if we don't have children, then we will deal with that together." I knew that I would stop aging at the same age as my dad, but the thought that I would never have a child...Edward's child caused a sadness to awaken inside me, so I pushed it away not wanting to dwell on such a dark thought when this was meant to be a happy occasion.

I tried to think of what kind of mother I would be and if I would be any good at it. I really hoped that I did not have a single child, since I was a single child and growing up was sometimes lonely, without the company of someone to share your childhood secrets and play with.

In my head I could imagine a bronze haired little girl with pale skin, chubby cheeks running into Edward's arms before he spun her around laughing.

I had grown up knowing that I would have children, but until I met Edward I had never realized how much I wanted them. Now that I had someone to want them with. Finally remembering the food in front of me I picked up my fork and started to eat, and wished that I could take the recipe home.

With a deep breath I changed the subject to something lighter, and the rest of the day passed quickly while the night brought only sleep, for Edward could be stuborn when he wanted to be.

In the days that passed, we visited the gallery of modern art, walked the streets and took in everything that my eyes could see. We, well I ate at restaurants that were more expensive then I would have ever dreamed of visiting, for their prices were beyond anything I would have thought possible.

While our nights were spent exploring my new found addiction for him. How could I ever get enough of him? Would this desire I felt beneath his touch ever fade?

On our last night in Florence I climbed onto his back, then making sure no one was around he climbed up to the top of a tall building. When he left me down, I let out a breath at the sight of the city from here. All of the lights made the city shine like a thousand stars.

"This is amazing, Edward," I said, in awe. "Thank you." He looked a little proud of himself, and I could not help smiling. Sitting on top of the building we watched as the sun rose beyond the horizon.

I let out a breath as I took in the sight of Florence in the day light and I knew that I would never forget the way the sunlight forced the shadows to retreat across the tops of the builders. The cool chill in the air from the November breeze, or the content feeling of knowing that I would never have to leave the comfort of his arms.

Thank you for reading, please review. xx


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

 **Here you go, chapter five I hope you enjoy. xxx**

 **~*~ Chapter six ~*~**

I was sad to leave, yet at the same time I was looking forward to going home and beginning my life with Edward. I managed to stay awake for most of the flight, but as soon as we were in Edward's car my eyes shut and I was out like a light.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty," I heard a velvet voice say, drawing me away from the wonderful dream I was having. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see the house in front of me.

"How?" I asked, pointing at the house. Had I been asleep for the past two days?! "How long have I been asleep?"

He laughed, as he turned of the engine and pocked the keys. "Quite a while...since you were not awake to complain about my driving, I was able to get us home without having to stop." My eyes widened with surprise, then shook my head for I did not want even want to contemplate the speed in which he must have driven in order to get us back home.

With vampire speed he got out of the car took the luggage out of the boot of the car and then was at my side opening my door.

I stepped out, and closed the door behind me. I laughed when he lifted me up into his arms bridal style and began to walk towards the house.

"What are you doing?"

He smiled back at me. "I have to carry my wife over the threshold." I was pretty sure he had already done that, but I said nothing. Somehow he managed to carry me with my duffel bag over his shoulder and unlock the front door without dropping me. It looked exactly how we had left it, and it felt nice, a sort of comfort to be home again.

"Welcome home, Mrs Cullen," he said, with pride in his voice. I kissed him while my hands wrapped in his hair, pulling him closer to me, as if that were even possible. I was married at eighteen! I still found it to believe, even though I could feel the ring on my left hand, showing the world that I was his.

He smiled against my mouth. "I'm going to go get the rest of the luggage, how about you go run us a bath, and then I will make you something to eat," he said, putting me down on my feet. That sounded pretty good.

"Okay." As he walked back to the car, I looked at the still wrapped presents from our wedding – which had been placed on the coffee table – and a box which contained our wedding wine glasses, the wedding cake figures – despite the size of the cake people had not struggled to devour it – and our wedding china. I had completely forgotten that Carlisle had agreed to take them back to the house for us after the wedding.

I then kicked off my shoes, took my coat off and laid it on the little table beside the door. I decided to leave those gifts till later, it was nothing that could not wait.

Walking up stairs I shut the bathroom door behind me and began running a bath. The smell of vanilla filled the air as I poured the bubble bath into the water.

After a few minutes I tested the water with my hand then turned the taps off, and let my clothes fall to the floor where I stood.

The water felt nice against my skin as the bubbles surrounded me like a warm cloud. In the next moment the door opened and I blew a handful of bubbles at him with a smile on my face.

After our bath, I got dressed into a tank top and my boy shorts, while Edward pulled on a pair of jeans and a shirt. I then unpacked my duffel bag, which was filled with my cloths, my wedding dress and a couple of ornaments which we had bought from Florence

Edward bent his cooking rule – of me eating healthy – and allowed me to order myself a pizza with extra pepperoni.

After I had eaten, I opened our wedding gifts, since Edward was more content to watch me open them. I was surprised that almost everyone had bought us something, for I was not even aware that they were going to attend my wedding, let alone spend any of their money on me.

As I opened each one, I wrote on a note pad what each person had gifted us, so that we would be able to send them a thank you card.

.

.

Jessica – One Coconut pamper basket: body lotion, bath pearls, shower gel, bubble bath, face towel and bath scrubby.

Erik – One Electric mixer.

Angela – Three scented candles with one glass plate and white stones.

Lauren – One pair of glass salt and pepper shakers.

Tyler – One cheese fondu set.

Jane – One Basket of exspensive hot chocolates; mint, orange, caramel, vanilla. Mini marshmallows, gingerbread men.

James & Victoria – One pair of white HIM and HERS towels.

Mike – One chopping board with MRS and MRS carved into the wood.

Carlisle – One first edition of Wuthering Heights + One silver pocket watch with Edward's initials.

.

.

I was speechless for a minute as I stared down at the book in my hands. "This is amazing?" How did he find it? I could not even imagine how much this must have cost! I was almost afraid to touch it, as if it would fall apart in my hands if I was not careful.

"I thought you would like it," Edward said, with smile in his voice. "That's why I decided to buy you this." He picked up a box which had escaped my notice and placed it in my lap.

Placing the book Carlisle had given me next to me on the sofa, I looked between him and the box a couple of times. "I didn't get you anything." I thought we had agreed not to get each other anything.

His eyes softened. "You gave me you, that's more then enough." I blushed, with pleasure as I pulled the ribbon away, lifted the lid and peeled back the tissue paper...my mind froze as if it was not able to believe what it was seeing.

I lifted the book into my hands, my fingers brushing over the cover.

"Oh, my god...this is..." I could not think of the right words to describe what I felt in that moment as I continued to look at the first edition of Pride and Prejudice. It was wonderful that he knew me so well, yet at the same time I did not want him spending so much money on me, for I didn't need expensive things – he was enough.

More then enough.

I was about to say something when he asked, "Do you like it?" Did he really have to ask? Was my expression of suprise not enough for him? While apart of me was delighting to holding such a rare book, the larger part of me was displeased that he had spent his money on me.

However, looking into his eyes I changed the words on my tongue to, "I love it, thank you." Leaning across I kissed him. What started as a quick kiss quickly changed to my arms wrapping around his neck as his hands gripped my waist. The book and box fell to the floor when I climbed into his lap.

The feel of his body so close to mine, the feel of lips against mine, caused a burning need to come alive within me. "You know...we still haven't christened the livingroom," I said against his lips.

He smiled, and with vampire speed flipped our position so I was laying beneath him. His eyes softened as he looked down at me. His knuckles gently brushed my cheek "How is it possible that you are even more beautiful then the first moment I saw you?" Staring into those dark gold eyes I allowed myself to become lost in their depths. Why was he always able to say the most romantic things that left me without words?

Time stood still as I became aware of each curve of his body against mine. The only things I could think to close to distance between us, kissing him long and deeply. When his hand began traveling up my waist my toes curled with anticipation.

The next day after my morning shower, and my breakfast of blueberry pancakes we lounged on the couch – my legs draped over his own while his arm was wrapped around my shoulders. I smiled as I tried to watch my favorite episode of the Simpsons on the large flat screen TV, while Edward entertained him self by running his nose along my hair line and running his fingertips up and down my arm.

He knew what his touch was doing to me as I would feel him smile against my hair as I bit my lip to try and hold back the small noises that tried to escape my throat.

"You know, if you want _something,_ all you have to do is ask," I said, knowing it was a lie, and he knew it as well. For he never had to ask – the answer would always be yes.

He hummed against my neck, his cool breath against my skin. "Thank you for the offer, but I am quite content for the moment...I'm not bothering _you_ am I?" I could hear the smile in his voice, and I had to fight to keep the smile off of my own face.

Too can play at this game. "You do know that one of these days I am going to burst into flames, and you will have no one to blame but yourself."

He gave me a onside grin, and I already knew that my words had back-fired on me. "Burst into flames...? I am barely touching you...do I effect you that much?" The hint of pride in his voice had me fighting even harder to hold back the smile, for I was tying to keep a straight face and not let him win this battle, even though he has won ever war so far.

I playfully narrowed my eyes at him. "You know very well that you do." Even as I spoke his hand had moved to my back, his finger drawing patterns on my back, which made it harder to think while his eyes held me. I could not help pushing myself a little closer to him.

"I do know...but it's nice to hear every once and a while," he said, with a shrug.

I bit my lip, as I stared into his eyes and felt a familiar ache begin. "It works both ways, you know?" I knew what he did to me, with his presence alone, but I was still having trouble wrapping my mind around what he saw in me.

In a flash he had flipped us so that I was lying beneath him. "You really have no idea what you do to me?"

I shook my head. His lips moved from the corner of my mouth down my jaw to my throat. I could not hold back the breaths that escaped my throat.

"You drive me crazy...our first night together was the best night of my life," he breathed against my throat, causing goosebumps rise, while a shiver traveled down my spine.

"The best ever? Really?" I finally let a smile tug at my lips. He pulled back to look at me. "When I knew you were mine I made a call to my father...and asked him what _I_ should expect. I didn't know what it would be like for me...what with my being a vampire...he told me it was a very powerful thing, like nothing else. He told me physical love was something I should not treat lightly." One of his hands came up to cradle my face. "It was wonderful."

I wrapped my arms around him. "It was more then wonderful...it was everything." I pulled him down for a kiss, however after only a minute he pulled back with his eyes still closed. His breathing had become uneven.

When he opened his eyes he said, "I have to hunt, love. I've been trying to hold it off for as long as possible." I looked at him, with surprise at the sudden change. I knew he didn't like to leave me and to be honest I did not like it myself, but he needed to hunt and his eyes had already turned black. Since he had not been able to hunt while on our honeymoon.

I sighed. "Edward, I'll be fine here for a little while. Nobody knows that I am here, so stop worrying."

"You will not leave this house." It was not a question and I was in no position to argue with him.

I rolled my eyes, for we had been through this before. "Don't you trust me?"

He looked into my eyes, as if he was searching for something. "Of course I do."

"Then just hurry back." I did not want to spend any more time away from him then I had too, even if it was for his benefit. He looked at me, as if he was debating whether or not he should go, then he kissed me, setting my body on fire once again.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." His scent filled my senses and I almost asked him not to go, but that would have been selfish of me.

In the next second he was gone and I was left gasping for breath. Running my hands through my hair like I had seen Edward too many times, I looked out the window as I watched the breeze rustle the leaves in the trees.

I felt the familiar sensation in my chest grow to a dull ache as the minutes passed by. He had been gone for less than five minutes and I already missed him as if he had been gone for days. I found it ironic how I had once enjoyed spending time by myself, and yet now I despised the silence that came with the absence of my mate.

My love.

My husband.

I contemplated curling up on the couch and wallowing until he came back, but I knew that that would accomplish nothing, so with a sigh I forced myself to get up off the couch and walked up to the bedroom I shared with Edward.

Stripping the bedding from the bed I blushed – even though there was no one around to witness it – at the memories of our nights in Florence.

I found myself pausing for a minute as I picked up the picture of my mom that had fallen to the floor. She was smiling down at me in the photo, while she held a six-year-old me on her lap. My brown hair was in pig-tails, which went well with my denim dungarees.

There were no pictures of my dad, so no one in my life, but myself and my mom were to know how much I looked like him with my pale skin and brown hair that had a slight wave to it.

I have a distant memory of my dad saying something about me having his eyes, but I was too young for it too be clear.

My mom Renee was such a beauty with her pale fox red hair, and sun kissed skin with freckles across her cheeks from her years of growing up in Italy.

She had always loved the sun, yet she had left it all behind after my dad had left as she wanted a fresh break. Plus, from what I had been told, her mom had not been too excited about her teenage daughter becoming pregnant, which had left their relationship torn in a way that had never repaired it's self.

Although why she had chosen a rainy little town like Forks was a constant mystery to me. Why would someone who loved the sun so much decide to live somewhere where the sun was almost non-existence? Putting the photograph on the nightstand by my music box I gathered up all the bedding and dragged it downstairs, and put it on to wash.

I am sure that most people my age would have detested doing house work, but I had often found that it gave me a welcome distraction.

And since Phil was usually too drunk to bother with such things, it usually fell to me to keep the house tidy and clean. I occupied myself with re-making the bed, and then a couple of other chores around the house, but since it was so clean and tidy anyway there wasn't really much else for me to do.

So I walked upstairs to the library, ran my fingers over the spines until I came across Wuthering Heights and curled up in one of the two arm chair and began to read. The dull ache in my chest remained as a reminder that Edward would be home soon.

The only reminder I had that time was passing was the turning of each page as I allowed myself to become lost in the words of a world that had once been, but had long since passed.

I smiled – looking up from my book to gaze out the window – as I wondered how I had come to find my own love story. I had never dreamed that someone would literally sweep me off my feet, for that was only suppose to happen in movies and books.

If I had known that the road I had been forced down would lead me to Edward, would I have looked at it differently? Or would I have thought it was merely a dream in the night to hope that someone so perfect as him would want someone like me?

Why is it that when we are surrounded by the darkness, we are never able to see the light at the end of the tunnel?

A noise caught my attention, drawing my eyes to the closed window.

It had sounded like an animal, causing my mind to flash to Edward. Had it been a howl? I had never asked him how close to the house he hunted, but surely if that was him, wouldn't the ache be gone? Curiously I stood up and looked out the window. I only saw the trees, then there was a movement between the trees, but it moved so fast that it was only a blur.

Dropping the book on the chair I ran downstairs and opened the front door, while a smile waiting to appear at the first sight of him.

I looked around at the tree line, taking a step outside as I looked both sides of the porch.

But there was nothing.

No sound.

No sight.

"Edward?" I called out in a last flicker of hope that he would appear, and sooth the ache inside me. Instead the silence lingered on, almost mocking me. When I was about to close the door something caught my eye and I looked up to see someone moving out of the shade of the trees and into the clearing in-front of the house.

I stared for as they walked closer, looking as shocked to see me as I was to see him. "Jacob?" I managed to choke out through my shock.

Thank you for reading and please review. xx


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Twilight. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

 **I can not believe how many people are actually following this story and I would just like to thank everyone for taking the time to read my story. xxx**

 **~*~ Chapter Seven ~*~**

I couldn't believe it. As children we had almost been inseparable – me spending weekends at his house with his dad Billy and then him spending the next weekend at my house – but we had drifted apart as people so often do.

What was he doing here? As far as I was aware he lived on the Indian Reservation which was a couple of miles away from here. The shock on his face turned to a smile, and I saw a glimpse of the boy I once played hide and seek with in the woods.

"Bella," he said, clearly as surprised to see me as I was him. He had changed in the few years since I had last seen him; his hair was shorter, and he was...buff. He was what, seventeen? How could a seventeen–year–old be that much in shape? He looked me over in a way that made me feel uncomfortable.

"You look good. How have you been?" he asked, and it felt as if we had never been apart.

I smiled. "I'm better than I have been in a long time, actually." I then added, "What are you doing around here?"

"I could ask you the same question," he asked, avoiding my question completely.

I shrugged. "I live here." I felt as though I had to defend myself, as if I should not have been here and I needed a good excuse.

"Oh, I didn't know that anyone lived here... it's been empty for years." He was probably right, since Edward had only been living here for a few months, but I could not exactly tell him that.

"Are you here alone?" The question sent a wave of unease through me.

"I actually live here with my husband," I said, feeling the ring on my left hand with my thumb, yet it did not give me much comfort at that moment, for a look passed through Jacob's eyes and it made me feel uncomfortable.

"Oh, your married...? How long?"

"Not long, why? What does it matter to you?" I knew I was being rude, but the uneasy feeling he was giving me had caused me to forget my manners. He did not seem to be effected though.

"What's his name?" he asked, then added, "I might know him." He smiled, but there was something in his eyes that did not match his smile. Why the interest?

"Edward Cullen," I said, watching his face carefully and felt my eyebrows furrow when his smile fell and a even darker emotion filled his eyes. And this time I did take a step back away from him, for fear of what he would do. Where was Edward? I could try and fight Jacob off if he attacked me, but he was around six foot – the same height as Edward, and in the back of my head I knew I would not stand a chance.

I saw his dark brown eyes looking at my left hand, and this seemed only to make his anger worse. I took another step back – unfortunately without thinking I had moved further down the porch. And with each step I was walking further away from the front door. And further away from the safety of the house.

"I thought that you would be different," he said, "but you are just like the others." What was he talking about?

Somehow I managed to grab hold of a small amount of courage. "What is your problem?" He had no right to be angry about who I was married to? I had been wrong about him, for this was not the Jake that I once knew.

"It's not me who is the problem...it's you. You are just like the rest of them!" he was yelling now and I was becoming more nervous.

"I don't know what you are talking about!" I yelled back at him.

His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't play games with me, Bella, I know what _you_ are, and I know what _he_ is...this could have gone a very different way. We could have avoided this if you had chosen me...but instead you chose one of those blood-suckers. And now you leave me no choice."

How did he know what I was? There was no possible way for him to know the truth about me or Edward.

He took a step towards me and grabbed hold of me, and before I could do anything he had lifted me and threw me over the railing of the porch.

All the air left my lungs when I hit the ground with a loud thud. My entire back ached with pain and I knew that I would have bruises tomorrow . As he walked down the steps of the porch at a leisurely pace I forced myself to stand up, as his body began to shake.

"Why are you doing this? I've never done anything to you," I yelled, as I prepared to run if he took another step towards me, for he had stopped at the bottom of the steps and was glaring at me, as if I was a demon from hell that had come to torment him.

His body continued to shake, in what I thought was anger. "It's only a matter of time, and I can't let that happen...I can't let you bring another one of those monsters into this world." My blood ran cold at his words, for I knew in that moment that he intended to kill me.

I contemplated, running, screaming for Edward, screaming for anyone to come help me, but before I could even blink Jacob's body began to shake violently until it began to blur, and before my very eyes his body started to change shape.

It wasn't possible! My eye widened in shock as I stared at the huge reddish-brown wolf that was now standing in the place of my insane ex-best friend, who had condemned me to death. The concept of vampires existing had always been natural to me, maybe because I had been raised with it, but I had never believed in werewolves.

They were just fiction figures in movies, they were not meant to be real and yet I could not deny what was right in front of me. Werewolves were real, and without a second thought I turned and ran into the woods as fast as my feet would carry me.

The fear inside me pushed me forward, giving me the strength to keep running, despite the dry roughness in my lungs, the ache in my legs, and the pain in my bare feet as they hit the hard ground of the forest floor – twigs snapped with almost every step, while sharp stones occasionally dug into the soft skin.

As I turned my head to look behind me to see if he was following me, my foot caught on a tree root and I went flying to the floor. I let out an involuntary blood curdling scream as a loud pop echoed through the air – less than a second later an excruciating pain wrapped around my ankle like a cruel hand, which refused to release me.

The pain took over my mind, not allowing me to think of anything else for what felt like an eternity. – all I could do was lay there, as tears dripped down my face. As time passed, the pain decreased enough for me to move my foot out from under the tree root – while grinding my teeth in pain at the movement – and moved myself into a sitting potion.

I pulled up my trouser leg, to look at my ankle, careful not to touch skin, and knew instantly that it was broken for it had become swollen, and the ankle bone was sticking out in an unnatural way that made me cringe.

I rested my head against the tree for a moment before I remembered that I was not alone in this wood and looked around for any sign that he was close by, for there was no way that Jacob had not heard me scream.

As another tear trickled down my cheek, I hoped and prayed that Edward would be close enough to have heard me as well, for at least then I would stand a chance against this...creature. Yet at the same time I did not want Edward in danger because of me. If anything happened to him because of me I would never forgive myself.

As I sat there I noticed that the forest had gone completely still and I knew that Jacob was close by somewhere. I knew it was not Edward for the ache in my chest was the worst that it had ever been, and I had to take a deep breath to stop myself crying from the sensation.

Strange how despite the pain in my ankle, the pain in my chest never moved focus in my mind as if one pain at a time was a mercy I did not deserve.

I used the tree behind me to support myself as I stood up. I knew without a doubt that there was no way I would be able to put pressure on my ankle. I felt a lump in my throat, for how was I suppose escape being murdered when I could not even run?

I hobbled forward, looking for somewhere I could hide – I was not sure what I could do after that, but the adrenaline running through my system was making me think on my feet, for if I made one mistake then it would cost me my life.

I froze as I hear movement somewhere in the distance, then after a moment I began to hobble from one tree to another, which I knew was making enough noise to alert him to my location, but I had no choice. I could not stay out in the open where he could find me and kill me. But why was he not attacking? Was he trying to draw it out?

I reached for the next tree and I noticed it had a hollow slit down the side of it. Looking around again to make sure that he was nowhere to be seen, then I squeezed myself into the tree and pushed myself away from the hole. I was not sure how long I stood inside the darkness of the tree, when I hear a wolf howling, and a shiver ran down my spine at how close it sounded.

I refused to move from inside the tree, for it was the only form of protection I had and I was reluctant to leave it, and expose myself to an attack.

I closed my eyes for a moment.

This was not happening to me! This could not be happening to me. This was only meant to happen to people in horror movies, where you would hide behind a pillow and yell at the screen, for you could see what the actors could not.

But this was not a movie, and it was not a nightmare that I would wake up from at any moment and find that I had fallen asleep in the chair while reading my book. I had always been the suffer in silence type, and I had to force myself not to allow the emotions raging inside of me to come to the surface.

As I stood inside the tree I felt my muscle become stiff as the light outside of the tree became darker, and I knew I had no choice but to move, for once the night set in, it would not just be Jacob that I would have to worry about.

Taking a deep breath I squeezed back out of the hole in the tree and began to hobble to the next tree, my heart pounded in my chest so hard that I felt it against my ribs. Then out of nowhere I felt something hard and big hit my back, sending me flying through the air towards a large tree.

In a matter of seconds I felt the impact against my chest, then I was on the ground. It took only a second more for me to realize that my ribs had been broken, for the pain was too harsh for it to simply be bruising.

I coughed as I gasped for breath. Pain surged through me as I did my best to pushed myself up to a sitting position as I watched the horse sized wolf slowly walk towards me, teeth bared. Had he known that I was inside the tree and had been waiting for me to make the first move, before he made his attack?

The metallic taste of blood gathered on my tongue, however I was not sure where it was coming from, for my entire body was exploding in pain, making it hard to think straight.

As I watched him approach me I felt the realization that I was going to die hit me like a wrecking ball. I fought back the tears as I saw – not my life flash before my eyes but – the life I would never have with Edward shoot through my mind like lightening. I could see myself with a bump, holding my first child for the first time, her first smile, her first word, her first steps. I would never feel the warms of her small body in my arms as I rocked her to sleep.

And I would never get to see the look of love on Edwards face as he looked at me or his child. The images were more crystal clear in my mind then the clarity of the present. I had wanted forever, but sometimes forever is not as long as we want it to be.

I had experienced more happiness in the past six weeks then I had in my entire eighteen years of life. Was that all I was allowed?

My last thought as Jacob raised his large paw, was _'Edward I love you'._ I closed my eyes and waited for the impact that was sure to come. It felt like it was an eternity later that I hear a combination of growls, then a gush of wind beside me. I knew who it was even before my eyes had opened, for the ache was gone, as if it had never existed at all.

I would have felt revealed if the love of my existence was now in danger from the creature that was trying to kill me.

Looking to my left I saw Jacob laying on the ground where Edward had thrown him, while Edward was standing in front of me. As Jacob stood up, the fur on his back stood up like the hackles of a cat, as he bared his teeth with a growl.

Jacob ran at Edward and I felt a lump of fear in my throat at the thought of Edward getting hurt because of me. I watched Edward maneuver out of harms way, then with a strength I had never seen him use, Edward hit Jacob so that he slammed against a near by tree.

I briefly wondered if that was what I had looked like. I heard something crunch, but I could not tell if it was the tree or Jacob.

Suddenly my hearing began to fade while the world around me began to blur, and while a part of me longed for the relief it would bring, another part of me feared that once the darkness consumed me, it would never release me. The pounding in my head caused me to reach my hand up to my hair, feeling the wet sticky sensation I found there, then looked down at the blurry redness on my hand.

I felt a short moment of sickness in the pit of my stomach at the sight for I had never been good with blood. The last thing I remembered was someone calling my name, before my world went black.

As I felt myself drift back to consciousness, I tried to move my body but it would not co-operate with me no matter how hard I tried. I could feel the familiar coldness of a hand holding mine, and I wished that I could tell him that I was alright. Was I alright? There was a numbness in my body where there should have been pain. That was a good sign right? I could feel my heart beating in my chest, so that was a good indication that I was not dead.

"You must be exhausted – you've been here for two day, honey. Maybe you should go home and get some rest. Someone will call you if–" I heard a female voice say, but she was cut off by a velvet voice that had become so familiar to me. "No. I'm not leaving her...why hasn't she woken up yet?" I could hear the fierce worry and concern in his voice.

I strained against my body again, willing it to move, yet it continued to ignore me, as if I was completely disconnected from it. Why couldn't I move?

"I'm sure she will wake up soon, Mr Cullen," the women said with a kind voice. I am awake, I screamed in my head, wishing someone could hear me. Where was I?

I did not hear what his response was, for the darkness took me once more to a dreamless place.

I was drifting again, alone in the darkness. My whole body paralyzed. I could feel something soft touching my hair. Was it a hand?

"Bella, please come back to me," I heard hear the pain in his voice, causing me to scream at my body. He had no idea that I could hear him, and that I longed to open my eyes and bathe in the warmth I would find in those golden eyes. "Come back to me, love, please...don't leave me." I clawed at the darkness which began to pull me away from his voice, but it's will was stronger then my own and I was once again lost.

The next time I came back to consciousness, I felt a flat lumpy pillow under my head, while beneath me was a hard uneven bed that held no resemblance to the softness of the bed I shared with Edward. There was an annoying beeping somewhere close by. I hoped that meant I was still alive, for death should not be this uncomfortable.

As my eyes fluttered I felt fingers wrap around mine. "Bella?" His voice sounded so beautiful in that moment, that when I looked at him I felt as though I could cry.

"Hi," I croaked, noticing that I was propped up on a bed with rails. My hands were all twisted up with clear tubes, and something was taped across and under my nose. There were bright lights above me.

The last thing I remembered was being in the woods, and now I am in a room I did not recognize. "Where am I?" My voice was croaky as if I had not spoken for a long time and my throat had dried out a little, from lack of use.

"Your in the hospital, in Forks, love," he said, moving some of my hair away from my face. "You've been unconscious for two days."

"You stayed with me?" I asked, as if I expected anything different from my mate.

"Where else would I go?" It slowly came back to me as we sat there in silence. My eyes watered at the dark memories.

"Oh, Edward, I'm sorry...I-I'm so sorry." The sobs started then, and they wouldn't stop, as if I had opened a damn. The tears fell, a relief that I had denied myself. He caught them with his fingers as they fell.

He shook his head. "I almost went mad with worry when I came home and you were not there...and when I smelt _him..._ I told you not to leave the house. What were you thinking, Bella?" I could hear the trace of anger in his voice. I bit my bottom lip as the tears continued to fall.

My voice was shaky when I answered, "He used to be my friend...I didn't know that he would...I didn't know that he was a...I'm so sorry." I lifted my hand to his cheek, while trying to ignore the IV protruding from it.

Leaning into my touch he closed his eyes for a moment, before I was met with those deep gold eyes. "I would lose my mind if I ever lost you."

"How did you find me?" I had given up hope that he would come for me, then he came to me at the very moment I needed him the most. What had I done to deserve someone like him?

He cocked his head to the side, as he thought for a moment. "I headed back to the house earlier then I planned because I felt the discomfort our bond was causing you...and then when I got to the house and I didn't hear you inside. I used our bond to find you."

I stared at him with surprise. "What do you mean you felt our bond?" He had never told me this. Is that one of the reasons why he was reluctant to leave me to hunt, because he knew what I felt when he was not there? I had assumed it was because he worried about something happening to me like what I had experienced in the woods.

"When we connected physically for the first time, we bonded in a way only mates can do. It means that I am able to feel the discomfort you feel when I leave. It's also why I am able to know where you are at all times."

"Why didn't you tell me this? I'm your wife, you couldn't have taken the time to tell me?"

His expression stayed calm. "I intended to tell you before we got married, but with all the arrangements that needed to be made, the wedding it's self and then our honeymoon...it got put on hold. And since you never asked, I figured it could wait."

My annoyance disappeared at his words – I could still hear the happiness and laughter from our wedding and the love and romance from our honeymoon.

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling bad for snapping at him for he had been nothing but goodness to me.

He gave me a soft smile. "You should be, you almost scared the life out of me. If I had not gotten there when I did–"

"But you did, Edward, that's all that matters," I said, interrupting him. "I'm alive because of you." Lifting my hand I placed it on his causing electricity to run through my skin. I heard the beeping of the monitor jumped around erratically – now he wasn't the only one who could hear my heart misbehave.

I blushed. "Well, that's embarrassing." I was thankful that no one else was in the room to witness my embarrassment.

He chuckled. "I wonder..." As he leaned in slowly, the beeping noise rose to a higher pace as I felt the rhythm in my chest. When his lips touched mine – softly, gently, careful not to touch my nose – the beeping accelerated wildly. I shifted to pull him closer, causing me to wince against the pain in my ribs and nose, bringing me back to the present.

"How bad am I?" I asked, with a weak smile. Edward's fists clenched, – the humour left his eyes an was replaced by anger. "Your ankle has been broken in several places, you have four broken ribs, a fracture in your skull, a broken nose and bruises over every inch of you skin."

"Oh." I thought for a moment. "What did you tell them when you brought me in?" He could not exactly tell them that I had been attacked by a giant wolf.

He gave a small smile. "I told them that you fell down two flights of stairs, and out of a window."

I gave him a smile in return, then something more serious occurred to me. "What...what happened with...? What did you do?" I was not sure if I even wanted to say his name out loud.

His eyes hardened. "He tried to kill you, Bella...don't ask a question that you will not like the answer to." I blinked a couple of times as his words sunk in. I knew what they meant and I should have felt bad that my husband had done such a thing, yet the waves of fear were still fresh in my system and I could not bring myself to feel bad.

"Are there others out there?" I whispered under my breath. The thought sent a shiver down my spin, which caused me to wince at the pain in my ribs, which caused my nose to hurt from the grimace.

"Yes. There is only a small pack in Forks, but there are others around the world."

"What about the ones in Forks? Did...he belong to one of the...packs? What if the others came after us?" My mind ran wild trying to think of all the ones I had grown up with and who could possibly have become a monster too...Edward gave my hand a comforting squeeze.

"They won't come after us. I promise you that...in order to do that they would need to find evidence that I had done something wrong, and there is no evidence for them to find." His words send an uncomfortable feeling through me, and I tried to think of something else.

I nodded, and wrapped my hand around the back of his neck to try and pull too me. He understood what I was trying to do and leaned down to kiss me again. He was my comfort, my safety, he would always be the place I called home.

The monitor went crazy again. I made the mistake of moving again, which resulted in yet another wince of pain. I couldn't help it, when he kissed me all rational thought went out of my head. He pulled back and looked at me with a concerned expression. "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. "I'm fine." It was a lie of course.

"I don't believe you," he said gently, as he stood up.

"Don't leave me," I said, with fear in my eyes.

"I'm not...I'm just going to get a nurse. I'm not having you in pain," he said, before walking out of the room and a minute later he came back into the room with a slim women who was in her late thirties.

"Here you go, honey." The nurse smiled as she injected the medication into my tube. "You'll feel better now."

"Thanks," I mumbled unenthusiastic. It did not take long. I could feel the drowsiness trickling through my blood stream almost immediately.

"That ought to do it," she muttered, as my eyes closed and I faintly heard her walk out of the room. I felt a cold hand press against my cheek.

I weakly opened my eyes to look at him – I wanted his face to be the last one I saw before I fell asleep.

"I don't want to go to sleep," I mumbled, sounding like a disgruntled child.

He smiled lovingly at me. "It's alright my love, I'm not going anywhere...I'll be right here when you wake up." As I leaned into his touch, I felt him kiss my forehead before the darkness took me once more.

The next morning after the nurse had removed my catheter – I refused to use it – she had helped me to the bathroom, despite Edward's annoyance that someone else was doing what he deemed as his right. Once I was back in bed and the nurse was gone Edward was right back at my side.

"Edward, when can we go home?"

He sighed. "I think we should leave. Make a fresh start somewhere else."

I stared at him as if he had grown a second head, then narrowed my eyes at him. "I thought you said there was nothing to worry about?" Why would we have to move if there would be no reason for me to be afraid?

"I am not taking any chances with your safety. If one is stupid enough to attack you, then there is nothing to stop the others. I want you out of harms way." In the front of my mind I wanted to ask him what _he_ was, for although I had my suspicions, a part of me wanted someone else to be the one to say the word.

Instead I asked, "Where would we go?"

He thought for a moment. "When I realized that you were mine, I bought a cabin up in Alaska, that I hoped you would like. It's far enough away that you should be safe."

My eyes widened. "You bought me a cabin?" the disbelief was evident in my voice. The most expensive thing that had ever been mine was the house I grew up in and the only reason we had the house was because my great-grandmother had left it to my mom in her will, otherwise she would have had to have rented somewhere.

I rolled my eyes. "As long as it has a bed that is remotely more comfortable then this one, then I'm sure I will love it."

"I would have had you put in a private room, but they apparently had none available."

It did not take Edward as long as I thought it would to get me checked out of the hospital. I was given some pain-relief for my ribs and was told that if I experienced dizziness or disorientation that I should come back.

I was surprised when we he guided me to a silver Volvo. "When did you get a car?"

"I've had it for a few years, but I like being able to carry you," he said, walking at my slow pace – the crutches slowing me down more then I thought they would.

He opened the side door for me and helped me in, taking my crutches from me and putting them in the back with my duffel bag.

"Have you already packed my things?" I asked glancing at the duffel bag behind me, as he climbed into the drivers seat.

"Yes. I was hoping you would agree to leaving town, so I packed all your things just in case. There is more of it in the trunk."

As he began to drive, I felt a sense of sadness that I was leaving the place where I had made all my childhood memories. I bit my lip.

"We can always come back someday if so wish," he said, taking hold of my hand, while the other stayed on the wheel. Had my expression been that obvious? We were quiet for a while as I watched the world fly by in a blur. When I glanced at the speed-meter I noticed how fast we were going and had to keep myself calm for I had never been in car driving this fast.

"Could you slow down?"

He glanced at me. "Why?"

"Because your doing eighty, and we could crash." And only one of us would walk away from something like that, I thought to myself.

He chuckled. "Bella, I'm not going to crash the car. I've been driving for longer then you've been alive, and I have never had an accident." I bit my lip, but chose not to say anything else. I tried to reassure myself that he wouldn't put me in danger.

After a while I turned on the radio, as I knew that we had a long drive ahead of us, but the speed he was driving, I had no doubt we would get there sooner rather than later.

After a while I fell asleep, while the soft purr of the engine filtered through the air, like a lullaby.

We spent the night in a small hotel, since Edward refused to allow me to sleep in a motel. Wrapping a plastic bag around the cast on my foot, Edward helped me into the shower and helped me wash while I held on to him for balance. It had given me a chance to see what state my body was in and I was horrified at the blue and purple bruises that painted my body. I had thought he had been exaggerating.

He washed me softly, trying not to hurt me, and I bit back the occasional wince that tried to escape as his hand brushes over the tender bruises on my back, but the slight tensing of my body was enough to let him know, and he would pause for a moment before continuing in a different spot. From what I could feel my back was worse then my front, but I had always bruised easily so that should not have surprised me.

It had felt nice to sleep on a soft bed, despite the bruises that covered my body. He held me gently that night, afraid that he would hurt me.

The next morning he woke me up at an ungodly hour.

I groaned and put my pillow over my head, as if I could pretend that he was not there and he would let me sleep. However my mate had other ideas and pulled the pillow out of my hands and ripped the quilt off of me.

"Edward!" I yelled, as the cool air hit my warm sensitive skin. "If you really loved me, you would let me sleep!"

He smiled. "The sooner you get up the sooner we can leave." I grumbled under my breath even though I knew he would hear me. After a couple of minutes I was completely awake. Picking up one of my crutches, I made my way to the bathroom along with my bag of necessities, and tried to tame my bed hair and brushed my teeth with one hand . I gave up on my hair and tidied it up in a pony tail, while balancing on one leg.

I took a moment to look at myself in the mirror. I had three stitches across the side of my forehead and a bandage across my nose. I hardly recognized myself, and for a moment Jac – his words ran through my head before I pushed them to the furthest depths of my mind.

He had been out of his mind, and trying to figure out why he did what he did would leave me with only questions, not answers. I felt a moment of sadness at the loss of the boy I had once known, for he had been my best friend – always making me laugh, always up for anything. I could still remember the warmth of his hand in mine as we would walk down to La Push beach. We had never dated, but it always felt so comfortable to hold his hand, as it was natural for us. We understood each other in a way that no one else – at the time – had.

Where had that boy gone? What had happened to him to turn him into such a monster? Did his father know what he was? Billy had always been a little quiet around me, but he had never been unfriendly towards me.

Taking a packet of my pills out of my bathroom bag I swallowed one, as I could feel the ache in the ribs, since the hospital medication had obviously warn off. Leaving me feeling like I had been run over by a steam engine. Was it even possible for your body to hurt in places you did not know you had?

With a sigh I walked out of the bathroom and found Edward with my duffel bag over his shoulder. He opened the door for me, then we walked to the elevator – the stairs were not a good option at this point in time.

Edward checked us out and then we were on the road again, but it was not long before my stomach grumbled, and he pulled up to a small cafe. I ordered an ice lemonade and a field green salad; blue cheese, avocado, spiced pecans, honey chipotle vinaigrette, and a key lime cupcake. It was a nice little cafe. I tried to ignore the looks people gave me, for I could not blame them – I would have looked as well.

Edward gave me a strange look, then shook his head.

"What?" I asked.

He gave me a small one-sided smile. "Most people would be traumatized by what happened you have been through, and yet here you sit, as if nothing happened...I would love to know what is going on inside that head of yours."

I shrugged. "I'm not like other people. For one, I was raised knowing certain things that other people don't...and two...I'm alive, and that's all that really matters. I can't change the past, so why fear it? It can't hurt me anymore."

He shook his head again, as if I was a complete mystery to him.

When the waitress came back with my order I thanked her and sipped my lemonade. "That looks disgusting," he said, as I began to eat.

"It tastes fine to me," I answered, lifting the fork to my mouth again. "How long will it take us to get to the cabin?"

"We should get there by today." I raised my eyebrows at him, but did not comment on his driving again. He was right though, we did get there later that day.

I spent most of the drive staring out of the window as I watched buildings and residential areas turn to forests that held a beauty that was enough to take my breath away.

I had thought that Forks forest held a certain beauty to it, but as I stepped out of the car and breathed in the unpolluted air I knew, without a doubt, that I would enjoy living here. I would miss Forks – despite what had happened to me – but this would be good for us.

A fresh start from old memories for me, in a place where we could create new memories together. Since it was November the ground was coated in snow while the trees held icicles from their white covered branches as if even nature celebrated Christmas. Edward walked around the car within a second, holding my crutches out for me to take.

I stood from the car, careful not to put any weight on my broken ankle, as I held onto the car door and took them from him. Despite the snow I made my way away from him, my eyes looking through the trees. After a couple of feet I stopped as my breath caught in my throat.

I had never seen anything so beautiful from mother nature before. The lake that stood before me was a huge pool of frozen emerald water – the trees wrapped around it like a shield.

I could imagine sitting at the end of the small dock, losing myself in the silence or the laughter of my children as they played in the summer water.

When I felt a strong pair of arms wrap around my waist, I relaxed into his hard chest. His cold skin, not feeling as cold against my own cool temperature. For a brief moment I looked back at the cabin behind me. The caramel colour of the wood, pale rose colour of the roof made me smile.

I had appreciated the house Edward had first brought me too, but the cabin blended in so well with the forest that it made me feel more comfortable. It did not matter that he owned it, for it would be our home for, what I hoped would be many years.

"Do you like it?" his smooth velvet voice finally broke the silence.

I smiled. "I love it here." I awkwardly turned in his arms and smiled up at him. I had not even seen inside the cabin and I already knew that had we been human I would have enjoyed growing old with him here. The walls filled with the laughter of our children, and grandchildren.

Instead I would have something better.

I would have forever.

Thank you for reading. Please leave your message in the little box.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

 **Here is another chapter, I hope that you all enjoy it. I am so sorry it has taken me so long to upload this but I had to re-write a conversation and I got a little writers block.**

 **~*~ Chapter Eight ~*~**

As we stood there, Edward held me as close as he could, while I continued to hold onto my crutches, and in that moment I made a promise to myself that I would have the future that I had feared was lost to me forever.

I had always wanted children, yet until I had believed that that road was going to be taken away from me, I had not understood how deeply rooted that desire was. I knew the road ahead would not be smooth for no one's life was perfect, but I would love every moment with this wonderful man, for in the blink of an eye, years would have past, leaving me wondering where the time had gone.

It had only been six weeks, yet already my life before him was beginning to fade away, as if it had been a dream that remains with you but always stays faded like an old photograph.

Looking into his bright gold eyes I said, "Thank you."

"For what?"

For so many things. "For saying my life."

His cool hand moved a piece of hair away from my face. "Don't you understand yet–you are my life now." Leaning down he kissed the corner of my mouth, both of my eyelids, then just below my ear, causing my knees to turn to jelly.

"So all of this is...ours?" I asked in a whisper, trying to hold onto some ration thought while his touch tried to scatter them like leaves.

"Yes." He smiled against my lips, hovering a centimeter above my own. His cool sweet breath washed over my face. Not being able to take it any longer I leaned up on my tiptoes to kiss him. His arm tightened around me, and I winced at the feeling in my bad and chest. He pulled back immediately, with a guilty expression for a few second before it turned to resolve – I knew that was not a good sign.

"Would you like a tour?"

"Sure," I said. He helped me up the steps, then took a key out from his pocket and opened the door for me, gesturing for me to go first. As I hobbled in I looked around at the living-room with two small pale sofas with a knitted throw laying across both of them, a wooden table lay between them, a flat–screen TV was mounted on the wall, a large open brick fireplace with a mahogany wooden mantle–piece.

There was a bookcase filled with books, a large brow rug lay before the fire – bare wooden beams ran across the high ceiling.

I smiled to myself when I caught sight of the upright mahogany Piano up against the wall. It was so old –fashioned, like Edward, that I could imagine him playing this when he was still human. I ran my fingers over the keys, remembering how the notes floated through the air as Edward's fingers danced over them. Was there anything he wasn't good at?

To the left of the room was a small dividing wall, that was the only definition of where the kitchen began and where the living-room ended.

The kitchen was not huge, but it had a cozy feeling about it. There was enough room for a small oak table and four chairs in the middle of the room, while a window above the sink allowed the winter sunlight to flow in causing the room to almost glow. There were basic essentials, such as a fridge, cooker and kettle. There were a few plates, cutlery and a few cups. I'm not sure why I opened the fridge, but when I did I looked back at Edward for an answer, for the fridge was fully stocked with food.

He shrugged. "I called my father and told him that we were coming, and that you needed a few things." His father was here? Would he come back? I had only met him the once, but he had seemed nice.

"Cool," I said, closing the fridge – no pun-intended – as I continued to look around the room, taking in every detail and for a moment I looked at a bare patch of wall by the kitchen counter and I could imagine marking the wall ever year on her birthday, like my mom had done for me. A thought then caught my attention, causing some of my previous happiness trickle away, and I turned to look at him. "Edward, how long can we stay here before we have to leave?"

He cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

I rolled my eyes. "Edward, I'm not stupid, I know that we will have to leave when people start to notice that you are not aging?" And someday I would join him.

He smiled at me and shook his head as if I had missed something obvious. "Bella, I made sure that I found a house, where our neighbors are far enough away that we won't bump into them, and there is a school a couple of hours away. Or we can home school her if it is more convenient."

I thought about it for a moment, finding it hard to believe that I was considering schools when I was not even pregnant! In the back of my mind I felt a bloom of excitement with his confirmation that we could raise a family here.

"We can talk about it when we reach that bridge," I said, deciding that there was no point making a decision about someone who was not even conceived yet.

He carried me up the stairs – as I held onto my crutches – since it would have taken far too long for me to climb them, then he placed me down on the landing.

He showed me the bathroom; wooden walls and floor – like the kitchen and living room – with a shower and bathtub. There were a couple of bottles of shampoo, bubble bath and shower gel sitting on a shelf above the sink.

He then carried me up small staircase – if you could call it that – and put me down on a small piece of landing. He then pushed open the door and let me hobble in on my own. It was a large room with a long bay window which stretched across the front wall, giving the most beautiful view of the Alaska winter wonderland that lay below. I could imagine the glow from the moonlight that would shine in the window at night like a nightlight.

"I thought this could be our daughter's bedroom," he said. "The glass is double glazed, so you do not have to worry about the room getting cold."

I walked forward and ran my hand over the polished wood of the rocking chair that sat by the window. I smiled as a faded memory of my dad holding me in his arms as he rocked back and forth in the rocking chair of my nursery.

I'm not sure how old I was, but I could not have been that old, for he was holding me in his arms like a baby. He was smiling down at me.

The rocking chair was the only piece of furniture in the room and I found myself feeling excited at the thought of decorating her room. I had never been one for girly things, such as shopping trips – our honeymoon had been a very rare exception – or following fashion trends, but I wanted to be the one to chose the color scheme, the furniture and arrange it.

Normally I would let Edward make the decisions, like I had with the wedding, however as insane as _he_ had been he had taught me an important lesson that I had not known I needed to learn. So I would not bypass anything when it came to our children, for their childhoods would be gone so quickly, and I did not want to regret a single moment.

Most eighteen–year–old girls would freak out at the idea of becoming pregnant, and not be able to go to college and have a career, yet I longed for none of that. How long would it be before I had that bronzed haired little girl in my arms?

Turning to Edward I dropped one of my trutches to the floor and wrapped my free arm around his neck, and kissed him with a passion that set a fire deep inside of me. His lips were soft against mine as his hand wound it's way around my hair, holding me in place.

I felt the hard length of his body against mine, as I pulled him closer. "Since it's just the two of us right now, how about we try and change that?" I whispered against his lips.

He smiled softly against my lips, then sighed. "Bella, as much as I would love to oblige you...you are bruised from head to toe, and your bones need time to heal. You need to rest, not overexert yourself."

I sighed, for although I did not want to admit it, I knew that I would not win this argument.

 **Two Weeks Later**

The days passed slowly, as I waited for my body to heal, and for the hundredth time I wished I was a faster healer. The only relief I had from the aching in my ribs was the strong pain killers that I had been given from the hospital.

I tried not to show him if I was uncomfortable, for I had always been the suffer in silence type, but he always gave me my pills with my breakfast.

Not being able to walk without help was becoming a pain, which is why I spent most of my time sat down on the sofa or in bed, since I was not allowed put pressure on my broken ankle for a few more weeks.

As the days turned into two weeks I was able to weaken his resolve, just enough for him to give in to his own desire.

As we lay on the soft rug before the fireplace I traced pattens across his chest with my fingertips. I could feel the warmth of the fire in the fireplace. It felt nice against my skin, as much as Edward's cold skin felt nice. He was like my own brand of heroin, and I never wanted to come down from the high.

"Are you alright? Did I hurt you?" Edward asked, kissing my nose. The bruises on my body were fading, and some of them had gone completely, however some of the tenderness was still in my ribs, although it was not as bad now.

I shook my head.

 _You could never hurt me_ , I thought to myself. In his arms I felt safer then I ever had before, and knew that no matter where we lived he would always be my home. "No, I'm just glad that you decided to give in...I didn't actually think it would work," I said, honestly, with a trace of pride in my voice that it had actually worked, for my previous attempts at seducing him had not worked before. I'm not sure if it was because I had just woken up from a dream crying, or I had simply caught him at the right moment.

He shook his head. "As usual you over estimate my control...it's harder to resist you when you attack me like you did." I blushed, despite what we had just done he was still able to cause my skin to heat up in my embarrassment. I wanted to argue back, however the memory of waking up in his arms – where I had fallen asleep on the sofa – and wrapping myself around him when he asked me what was wrong, was still loud and clear in my mind.

"I notice you did nothing to fight me off," was my reply, since I had nothing else I could use against him in this argument.

He shrugged beneath me. "Old–fashioned manners die hard, no matter how long you have been alive."

"What was your world like?" I asked, staring into the flames as I shifted under the knitted throw that Edward and laid over us. It seemed almost poetic that the love of my life would be from a time, that I felt a sense of affection for. It was one of the reasons why I loved Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice. It gave me a glimpse into a world that no longer existed or ever would again.

"People were more polite, manner were apart of every day life...my life was simple, easy, no worries...I was studying to be a doctor when my father turned me."

I looked up at him with surprise. "You never told me that." We had talked so much that I was surprised that this had never come up.

He shrugged. "My father was a doctor, and my mother was a nurse, so I suppose it seemed appropriate for me to follow in their footsteps."

"Why haven't you continued with it? Is it because of the blood?" I asked, my chin resting on his chest.

He looked thoughtful. "Times have changed, people have changed...when I was studying the world of medicine was more simple, besides I no longer have the desire to heal people as I once did."

"Why not? What changed?" Besides the obvious.

He thought for a moment. "I changed. By the time I was able to control my thirst, I had changed...my world had been so simple, sheltered in some ways...that when I became a vampire I saw a side of the world I had never seen before...I became a different person, and that meant leaving behind some of my human traits." I could not imagine him as anyone other then my Edward. How different would he be if I was able to compare?

Laying my head on his chest, I listened to the sound of his breathing, and the fire crackling softly, the peace of it lulled me to sleep.

The next morning, Edward went downstairs to make me breakfast while I took a human minute in the bathroom.

I stared at my box of tampons for a long moment after I pulled my sweats back on. I had not thought about how disappointing it would be for Aunty flow to make her monthly visit.

I suppose it had been foolish for me to hope that it would happen on the first try, especially since Edward had told me that it would not be easy for a hybrid like me to become pregnant.

I washed my face with one hand, while the other held my crutch, then straightened my back and squared my shoulders as I slowly walked downstairs, while holding onto the banister.

I tried not to put too much pressure on my healing ankle, however the small amount of pain I was inflicted too was worth not having to depend on Edward to carry me up and down the stairs.

At the bottom of the stairs I breathed a sigh of relief and rested on my crutch once again as I walked into the kitchen to find Edward cooking scrambled egg and bacon.

There was a jug of fresh orange juice sitting in the middle of the table. The smell of food smelt wonderful to my empty stomach and I smiled at the smell of it as I poured myself a glass of orange juice.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist and I felt his breath against my ear. "Are you alright, love?"

I blinked a couple of times. "What do you mean?" Did he know about my ankle? He couldn't feel that as well could he? But if he had, why had he not pushed the issue of me walking up and down the stairs on my own?

"Love, your face is an open book, even when your trying to hide it. Plus I can smell the difference in your body." I blushed at the realization that he could smell...that.

He chuckled and moved my hair away from my ear, placing a kiss below my ear. "We are going to have a few disappointments, but that just means that we get to have the fun of practicing for a little while longer." I could not help the smile that pulled at the corners of my mouth, as his hand moved down to lay across my stomach.

"Don't be so eager for the moment to come, because once it does, before you know it, it will be gone...a hundred years goes faster than you think love. So enjoy every moment as it comes along," he whispered to me, and I heard my own thoughts echoed back to me when I first saw the room that would be our nursery.

And with that he moved away from me, served me a plate and placed it in-front of me. Taking a seat at the table I began to eat, and once again found myself wondering how someone who does not eat can cook food that is so delicious.

"You know, if you keep this level of cooking up I am going to get fat," I said, lifting another forkful of food to my mouth, as if to prove my point.

He chuckled. "I'm sure we can figure out a way to make sure that doesn't happen." The look in his eyes left me without any doubt as to the meaning behind his words, and I had to look away before the flame inside me spread to rest of my body and I would be lost to all rational thought.

When I looked back at him, his expression was calm as if that spark of passion had never been there and I had imagined it. Had I?

I glanced up at the wooden calendar block that was on the counter top behind him, and asked, "Is that date right?" I had not changed it. He looked at what I was referring to and looked back at me with a nod. "Yes, I change it every day."

Hmm.

The date said it was December the first. I chewed on my lip as I stared at the date and then looked at Edward.

For the first time since my mom had passed, I actually wanted to celebrate Christmas for I had a reason to celebrate and I no longer wanted to be sad at the thought of the holiday.

"Do you think we could get a Christmas tree?" Did vampires even celebrate Christmas?

"Of course. Eat first."

I cleared my plate, along with the rest of the food he had cooked – not being able to stop eating was a symptom of my monthly. He then cleared the plates away, not allowing me to clean up after myself, then took my hand and lead me outside into the cold winter air, and helped me over to the porch swing.

I watched as Edward walked towards one of the smaller pine-trees and push it over, it's roots shooting out in different directions. But only for a moment for Edward was soon snapping the roots off until it was only a stump.

He then snapped the trunk until there was a only short stump left.

He broke the pieces into smaller pieces and carried them past me and into the living-room, and next to the fireplace where we kept the firewood for the fireplace. At least that was what I assumed he was doing.

I had not realized how much firewood we would get through, but since Edward liked to keep the fire going all day to keep the cabin warm for me, it used up a lot.

I watched silently as he walked back outside and grabbed hold of the tree and carried it inside, as if it weighed no more than a twig.

Picking up my crutch I walked back into the house, and watched as he found an old wooden bucket that was beside the front door and used it to stand the tree in. I had never had a real Christmas tree before so I was not sure if it would stand but when he let go it did not fall and I smiled at Edward like a child.

As my fingers brushed over the pine-needles I opened my mouth to say something, but before I could, Edward disappeared for a second and then reappeared with a small cardboard box in his hands.

"I'm not sure why I kept hold of these, since I have not kept hold of a lot of things from my human life, but I suppose it was sentimental reasons – my mother used to love this time of year."

I smiled. "So did mine, she was some times a bigger kid than me around this season." How long was it now? Two years? Or was it three now?

"Not to ruin the mood, but you never told me how you lost your mother," he said, handing me the box, which I took with my free arm.

I took a deep breath. "Car accident...her and Phil were driving home one night, after a Christmas party and the storm was really bad...Phil had had a little too much to drink, but he still drove them home, because my mom didn't know how to drive...the car swerved off the road and hit a tree...my mom was killed instantly, but Phil managed to get away with a broken collar bone and a concussion." I tried not to let the imagines that the police man's words had painted in my mind, but they came anyway, causing me to fidgeted uncomfortably as I held back the emotion behind my eyes.

"I'm sorry...and yet you don't hate him?" he looked at me curiously as if the thought was unnatural to him and that I should despise the man with everything that I was.

Guilt showed on my face as I admitted to him something I had barely admitted to myself. "Is it wrong that I something wish that it had been him?" I expected judgment for my words, for they were horrible, for me to wish another person dead in place of my mom's life. But he simply lifted a hand and grazed my cheek with his knuckles.

"No, it's not. It makes you human, or at least part-human," he said, trying to lighten the mood that had turned thick with memories. When I made no move, he opened the box for me and I looked down at the contents of the box.

Placing the box on the table, I lifted up one of the bauble into my hand and stared at with the curiosity of a child.

Edward watched me with a lopsided smile. "The baubles are all hand-painted and the glass ornaments are all hand – made...they were passed down to my mother from her mother, so you can imagine how old they are," he chuckled.

I could not speak.

Each bauble was painted with such delicate detail that I could imagine it taking someone hours just to complete one. The delicate craft of the glass ornaments were so beautiful that I held one up in the light and watched as the light danced across the glass like a diamond.

"These are beautiful," I said, with the glass ornament in my hand and placed it on a branch – the small amount of ribbon was enough to get around the pine-needles. Edward was content to hold the box while I decorated the tree, being careful not to manhandle the ornaments too much, as if they would break if I touched them too hard.

Even without the tinsel, twinkling lights and candy-canes, it looked perfect. Our first Christmas together.

The first of many to come.

Thank you for reading. Please review.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Twilight.

 **Another small jump forward in this chapter. I am so sorry it has taken me this long to upload, I am NOT finished with this story, so please keep reading and reviewing.**

 **~*~ Chapter Nine ~*~**

 **~Two weeks later~**

Like most nights, I was curled up on Edward's lap as I read Wuthering Heights for the hundredth time. He had beaten me at chess for the second time that night and I had decided to admit defeat. He moved my hair away from my face and kissed behind my ear, causing me to bit my lip. He was always happy as long as I was in his arms. I was his entertainment while I amused myself. Not that I minded.

"You have read that book so many times...don't you know it off by heart now?" he whispered in my ear, causing me to shiver at the feel of his cool breath against my skin. I had also read the same paragraph twice now, I thought to myself.

I felt his arm tighten around me and I laughed as I shifted in his lap. The protest from my ribs was enough for me to ignore, however the heavy cast on my leg was not as cooperative. As his kiss moved to my shoulder, I dropped my book dropped to the floor.

Turning around in his lap to face him, my hands instantly wrapped themselves in his soft hair as I kissed him with a heat that I could feel coursing through my body like a wild fire. Every nerve in my body burned with a passion and love that no love story had ever told me about.

I could feel that familiar tightening in my stomach as he ran his hands up my side, his mouth moving to my throat, placing butterfly kisses from my shoulder to behind my ear, only to repeat the journey once more. He knew exactly how to drive my body crazy, and if I burst into flames one day it would be all his fault. I had not given much thought as to how I would die, but that seemed like a good way to go.

As I began to unbutton his shirt, I wondered why we even got dressed when most of the time we were taking them back off again.

He sighed, and took hold of my hand stopping my actions. I looked into his dark gold eyes with confusion, for he had never stopped me before – not when he had instigated it anyway.

"What's wrong?" I asked, wondering if I had done something.

"We have company," he said. My eyebrows pulled down with confusion, and for a moment I looked around as if I would see someone standing there watching us. Who could be here? Who would be out in the middle of nowhere? Besides us?

"It's alright, there's no need to knock," he said, looking behind me. As the door opened he moved us with vampire speed. It took me a moment to realize that I was sat on the sofa and Edward was walking toward the man that now stood by the closed door.

It took me a moment to realize that it was Carlisle.

"You were suppose to be here yesterday," said Edward, with a slight annoyed tone. I briefly remember Edward telling me that he was coming, but I was half asleep at the time so I had assumed that it was a dream.

"I know, but the hospital needed me to stay on, and they are short–staffed as it is. That's why I drove straight here after my shift finished," he replied with a soft voice. He looked different from the last time I had seen him, for he was now wearing his hospital uniform. His eyes were the same pale gold as the first time I had seen them, unlike Edward's which had turned dark from lack of hunting.

"Well, at least you had a good reason," I heard Edward mutter, and I wondered what had gotten in to him.

Carlisle ignored his comment and took a couple of steps towards me. "Hello, Isabella, it's nice to see you again. Edward told me what happened. How are you feeling?"

I would have stood up, but my crutch was too far away and I did not want to stand on one leg like a flamingo. "Better, thank you. I'm just waiting for this cast to come off." It would be a happy day when I could stand on both feet again without having a heavy cast weighing my leg down.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing towards the seat next to me.

"Sure." I shifted so that both of my legs were off the couch, making sure I applied no pressure to my bad leg.

He took a seat next to me, and surprised me by laying his hands on my ribs and applied a slight pressure. Edward walked over to the opposite sofa and took a seat while watching us.

I gasped at the sensation. "They feel as though they are healing nicely. Are you in any pain?"

I shook my head, and I almost smiled for he had slipped into 'doctor mode'.

"How about you ankle? Any discomfort?"

I shook my head again. "No."

"How long have you had the cast on?"

I thought for a second, then Edward answered for me. "Four weeks." How was it possible for him to keep track of time in this place, when I could not remember what day of the week it was most of the time.

Carlisle nodded. "You should be able to have it off in a couple more weeks...when was the last time you had an ex-ray?" His words gave me a ray of hope.

I looked a little surprised. "Umm...I think it was last week." It had been a very long drive to get to the hospital just so that they could take an ex-ray of my ankle to make sure the bones were healing properly, take my blood pressure, ask me a few questions and then we were on our way back home. I was more then thankful that the more stubborn bruises had faded to a yellow colour, and that they would soon be gone as well.

"What happened to him?" Carlisle asked suddenly, looking at Edward, leaving me wondering what he was talking about, but not for long.

Edward's voice was tight. "I took care of him...I made sure not to leave any evidence behind for anyone to find."

Carlisle's eyebrows pulled down. "Although I do not normally condemn the act of violence, I can understand why you would resort to that method of action."

"There's just one thing that I don't understand," I said, "...why?" I had so many questions in my head yet that was the only word that came out.

Carlisle sighed. "Because there are some...werewolves that hunt hybrids, and kill them. And unfortunately the werewolves in Forks know of my family name, since I have worked in the local hospital for a couple years."

My eyebrows furrowed. "But why?" I demanded. That's crazy! They were murdering innocent people, and those women probably did not even stand a chance. Just like I hadn't.

Those poor women.

A shudder ran down my back.

"Werewolves do not like vampires at the best of times, for they believe that we are soulless creatures, and that any child to come from a vampire is not born with a soul, which makes them too dangerous to live." _His_ words suddenly made sense to me, and I finally understand what he was ranting at me about.

And why he had flipped his lid when he heard that I was married to Edward. I had been condemned to death because of who I loved! But surley if he believed that I had no soul, then why did it make the mention of my marriage to push him over the edge?

It was one of the many questions I knew would never be answered.

"That's not true, I'm not evil, I've never done anything to hurt anyone," I said, feeling my emotions move to my throat. Edward moved from where he was sitting and lifted me up before sitting down, placing me on his lap. Times had changed, and yet I felt as though I was back in the era of the witch trials and I was being accused of being something that I wasn't.

"I know," said Carlisle, "But thankfully there are not many of them left to cause a problem."

"What do you mean?" Edward asked.

"These werewolves don't run in packs, they run alone, yet still they have managed to cause enough damage with the amount of hybrids that have been killed, that the Volturi have been forced to become involved and they have begun exterminating all werewolves around the world." Despite what had happened to me, I felt bad that a entire species would suffer for the actions of a few individuals. For surely not all of them could be monsters, right?

"Who is the volturi?" I asked, looking between Edward and his father, for answers.

It was Edward who answered, "They are the closest figure of royalty that our world has...hundreds of years ago they began to set in place rules for other vampires to follow, and if those rules are broken then those vampires are punished."

"What sort of rules?"

Edward shrugged. "The usual, don't reveal your true nature to humans, such as attacking someone in a public place where there are bound to be witnesses. Hybrids are of course the exception, since they are already apart of our world. And human mates, must be turned as soon as possible to prevent unwanted exposure."

All this new information swirled around my head like a tornado, as my thoughts to drift me of into another world.

I was broken out of my thoughts by someone saying my name. "Sorry, what?"

Edward smiled and shook his head. "I asked, if you would be alright here while I hunted?"

"Oh, yeah, I'll be fine." I then remembered that I had said that before and look what had happened.

He sighed, as if he could see what I was thinking in my eyes. "I won't be long." He leaned down to kiss me, causing my body to tingle in a familiar way, then he was gone.

"He asked you to baby sit me didn't he?" I asked, a moment later.

There was a hint of humor in Carlisle's eyes. "He did not use those exact words, however he did ask me to stay with you."

I rolled my eyes. So that was why he had waited? He did not want to leave me alone without someone being with me. "Why? What does he think is going to happen? Lightening doesn't strike in the same place twice." He had told me that we were safe here, so why was he being so over protective by calling his father to watch me, like a naughty child that could not be left alone?

The humor left his eyes, and his expression became neutral. "He called me while you in the hospital...I've never heard him like that before...he was...scared, that he would lose you...I don't think you understand how much he truly cares about you."

I shook my head. "I think that is the other way round."

After a moment of silence he changed the subject.

"So, Isabella, how are you finding Alaska?" he asked, with genuine curiosity in his voice. I relaxed a little bit, while the ache in my chest remained as a reminder that Edward was not close by. At least I knew that the further away he was the worse the ache became, but since he knew what I felt when he left, I doubted he would go too far.

I gave him a small smile. "I prefer Bella...and it's beautiful here, although it is _a lot_ colder then I thought it would be."

"It couldn't be easy leaving your home, and family behind," he said, with concern in his voice. It would have been hard if I had any one too leave behind.

I shook my head. "It has just been me and my step-father for the past couple of year, and there was no love-loss between us, so it wasn't that hard to leave." I was surprised at how honest I was, considering I had only met him once before. But I felt strangely comfortable with him, almost like I did with Edward.

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said, "Do you not have any siblings?"

I shook my head. "No, my mom tried with my step–father but it never happened."

He nodded, then gave me a strange look and gave me an unsure smile. "What?" I asked, slowly.

"How is he?" his expression was filled with concern. "My son, I mean."

"Oh, he's...good," I said, with a smile, not sure what else he wanted me to say.

He nodded. "He seems happy with you...he's been so unhappy for so long that it's nice to finally see him happy with someone." I stared at him with surprise for Edward always had a smile not far away for me. And the sound of his laughter had become my favorite sound.

"Oh," I said, thinking over his words. "So, there has not been anyone before me?" Why did the thought of him dating someone else before me bother me? He could have been courting someone while he was still human.

Carlisle smiled. "No, there was never anyone else, there were admirers which is common when you look the way we do, but he never reciprocated their affections."

I bit my lip, unsure whether or not to ask the question that was lingering on my tongue.

I took a deep breath. "Can I ask you something personal?"

"Of course."

"Why...don't get me wrong, I couldn't imagine my life without Edward, but...why did you turn him?" I waited for some harsh reaction of some sort, but instead his expression became thoughtful.

"I was turned by accident – the vampire who attacked me left me for dead, however there was enough enough venom in my system to turn me...somehow despite my thirst I managed to never kill anyone...years passed like they were minutes, and when I finally went back home and I saw my sons, and discovered that my beloved Esme has passed from this world...I realized what I had lost and I wanted my family back...it was an incredibly selfish act for me to do, and there are many times when I regret my decision. But what's done is done, and I can't change the past."

"I'm sorry about your wife," I said.

He smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "That you."

We were silent for a moment with our thoughts. My thoughts were like a tornado, eventually landing on a thought that was as random as my thoughts themselves. "How did you know that I was a hybrid?" Come to think of it, how did Edward? Did I have a sign on my back that I was not aware of?

"Your scent, and your unusual slow heartbeat."

"Oh...do I smell different to other people?" Edward had called my scent wonderful, but I had rarely given it much thought.

"Every human has their own aroma, but because you are half vampire your blood is sweeter then most, yet you have a floral scent to you – that's the human in you."

Carlisle reached forward and took my hand, as he looked deep into my eyes. "I turned my son because I wanted my family back, but it was never the same... you are the first ray of hope I have seen in a very long time." I opened my mouth to say something, even though I was not sure what I was going to say.

Then I felt the ache inside my chest drastically ease away and a minute later Edward came through the door, and I wished that I was able to jump up and run to him, but since that choice was denied me, I had to wait for him to come to me. He picked up my crutch then helped me stand up. I breathed in his sweet scent, and smiled at the feel of his arm holding me up.

"Hey," he said, sounding as relieved as I felt.

"That was not even an hour," I laughed, and he shrugged as he smiled down at me. My stomach chose that moment to then grumbled it's displeasure. "Bella, why don't you go into the kitchen and see what you want for dinner." His words surprised me, but I could hear the unspoken words that he wished to speak to his father alone.

"Okay," I said, taking my crutch from him, I walked into the kitchen and grabbed the ingredients I needed to make spaghetti and meatballs. It actually felt nice to be able to cook for myself again, even if I did have to do it with one hand most of the time.

My balance had gotten better since I had started to stand on my good leg for as long as I could when I needed to do something that need both hands.

I was not trying to listen to what Edward and his father were saying, but as I moved around the kitchen I stopped as I heard Edward say, "...I never thank you for turning me?" I did not hear the response. "...somehow I've found everything I've ever wanted, and more, so I don't want you to regret anymore."

I did not hear Carlisle's response, and I found myself standing completely still with the plate of meatballs in my hand.

I had heard Edward tell me many times that he loved me before, but to hear him tell his father that I had given him everything made me wonder what I had given him, because I was _just_ me.

I wasn't that special, and yet he continued to call me beautiful, perfect even though I wasn't. Maybe I should consider the possibility that there was something wrong with his head, for why else would he see me in a way that was far from reality?

I shook my head and continued with what I was doing. As the meatballs cooked, I took a sip of orange juice, the cool liquid felt nice on my tongue. I put the glass down, and smiled when a strong pair of familiar arms wrapped around me.

"Is everything alright?" I asked.

He sighed happily against my hair. "Everything is perfect...we are alone again, so how about after you've had something to eat, we go back to the sofa and finish what we started?"

I smiled, for he maybe a vampire, but he definitely had not lost the hormones or a human male. I felt my heart quicken in my chest."Sure."

I briefly wondered why Carlisle had left without saying goodbye, for surely that was good manners, but I kept it to myself.

I tried not to make a mess as I ate, I had somehow forgotten how messy spaghetti and meatballs really was. Edward smiled and shook his head at the sight of juices on my chin, but after everything we had done I could not feel embarrassed about it.

I had almost forgotten what my cooking tasted like, and though it was not as good as Edward's it still tasted pretty good to my grumbling stomach.

After I had eaten, he carried me upstairs – instead of the couch – where I could brush my teeth, before we picked off where we had left off on the couch.

Thank you all for reading, I will upload again soon.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight – nothing new there. Everything belongs to Stephenie Meyer and always will.

 **As always I hope you like it. Xxx Thank you to everyone that has reviewed I take everything you say and use it to improve the story where I can.**

 **~*~ Chapter Ten ~*~**

 **December.**

 **January.**

 **February.**

 **March.**

 **April.**

 **~*~ May 27** **th** **~*~**

As I lay with my head on his cold chest, I tightened my arm around his waist, as if it were possible to pull him closer to me. The cool feeling of his body felt nice against my warm skin, like a cool breeze on a warm summers day.

"Do you miss being human?" I asked, the only sounds in the room were the sounds of our breathing and the loud beating of my slow heart.

He was silent for a few seconds. "I did at first, however over the years I came to except what I had become." he then added, "Why do you ask?"

"What if I had been human? Would you have turned me?" He brushed my cheek with his knuckles.

"It would have been very difficult for me to see you in such pain...but if that had been your desire...then I would have respected your wish." I leaned into his touch.

"I would however have missed, the flush of warmth in your cheeks, and the sound of your heart beating – I've become so accustomed to the sound, I could pick it out in a crowd." His sweet breath washed over my face.

I kissed him softly, as my hand wound it's way into his soft hair. My previous desire to sleep, disappeared as I felt my heat skip a beat – my skin became heated like there was a fire surging through my system.

That night I dreamed that I was in the forest. I was running as fast as my legs would allow, as I looked for someone that I could not find...I needed to find them, though I didn't know why. Sunlight streamed through the trees, yet they remained hidden from me.

Then from behind a tree I saw the small pale hand of a child, then I glimpsed her little face: big green eyes – like her father's had once been – and long bronze hair that fell down her back in neat curls. I stared at her in wonder, for she was beautiful, and I knew she was mine, yet I saw nothing of myself in her.

As I approached her, she ran away, her little legs moving her quick enough to keep her hidden from me.

I ran after her, yet every time I caught a glimpse of her she would run away again. Constantly out of reach.

The next day I woke up to see that the light in the room was too dim to be morning, and I realized that I had slept most of the day away. How had that happened? It took me less than a second to realize that Edward was not in the room, for he was usually never very far away from me when I woke up.

I laid there for a moment as I contemplated trying to go back to sleep, for I had been so tired these last few days. My fingers played with the corner of one of the squares on my quilt which had begun to come loose. But considering _my_ mom had made it, I was shocked that it had lasted three years without a thread coming loose.

My stomach then made the choice for me, and with a grumble I got out of bed, then throwing the duvet back I walked into the bathroom.

After following my usual morning routine, I got dressed into a tank top, and a pair of leggings. Despite all the furniture in the room already being here when we moved in, the room felt comfortable with my quilt on the bed, my music box on the bedside table – next to a picture of the both of us on our wedding day. We had a couple more downstairs on the mantle–piece, since the living room looked so odd without photographs.

The couple of ornaments we had picked up from Florence sat on top of the large chest of draws that we shared.

I walked down stairs and paused at the bottom at the sight of Carlisle and Edward sitting on the couch talking quietly. My cheeks heated with embarrassment, for I had walked to the bathroom completely naked!

"Hi" I said, with surprise, looking at them both. Over the past four months Carlisle had come over every other weekend to 'baby sit' me while Edward hunted, and it had become nice to have someone else to talk to.

Edward looked over at me, and smiled. "I was wondering when you would wake up," he said, with a smile that made my knees go weak. His eyes were no longer the almost black colour they had been last night, which meant I had slept through the ache in my chest while he hunted. I must have been tired, I thought to myself.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"About twelve hours?" My eyes widened with surprise, for I had never been in the habit of sleeping half the day away. Maybe Edward _was_ wearing me out.

Carlisle asked me, "Are you feeling alright, Bella?" I could almost feel him looking at me with a 'doctors' eye, and it made me feel a little uncomfortable.

I shrugged. "I feel fine."

"Are you hungry?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, I was just going to heat something up from the fridge," I said, with a shrug since I was really hungry and I really wanted something quick that involved little to no effort. I walked into the kitchen, a little surprised that he was allowing me to do myself something for myself, when normally he did not like me lifting a finger.

I listened to Edward and Carlisle talking while I took out the the leftover lasagna from last night and placed the container in the microwave. The smell of tomato and herbs filled the air, as I took a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water from the tap, then took a sip.

I looked at it with confusion for it left a metallic taste in my mouth, as if the pipes were rusty. Pouring it down the sink I poured myself some freshly squeezed pineapple juice – one of the perks of being married to a vampire.

I took a sip of the cool liquid, and felt the unpleasant taste disappear from my tongue. The ping of the microwave shouted through the air.

Taking the container out I placed it on the table, grabbed myself a fork and sat down at the table. I was surprised to see a newspaper on the table, for it was not often that Carlisle brought one with him, but I was thankful when he did, for it felt nice to know what was going on around the rest of the world.

As I ate I glanced over the pages, reading a couple of the articles, then my eyes landed on the real-estate page, and as I was about to turn it over, when my eyes caught sight of an advert, causing me to pause.

It took me a second to realize why I recognized the address – it was once mine. My house was up for sale! Sadness washed through me, for it had been in my family for Four generations and now it was gone.

I should have known that when I left the that house, that something like this would happen, yet at the same time there had been a flicker of hope, deep down, that it would force Phil to change his life. Had I been wrong to hope? I had to have been, why else would my old house now be up for sale?

I was so consumed with my thoughts that I did not notice Edward standing next to me. How long had he been standing there?

"What's wrong, love?" I drew my eyes away from the newspaper to stare up at him, and I felt strangely annoyed at him for some reason.

"Why did you take me back to your house the night we met?" I heard a slight hint of annoyance in my voice.

He looked taken aback by my question, and I could not blame him for we had never argued about anything before. "What?"

I crossed my arms, and demanded, "You heard me...why did we go back to your house? Was my house not good enough for you?"

He stared at me as if I had lost my mind for a very long minute, then he said, "I knew how unhappy you were there...I thought it would make you happy, and since you never told me otherwise I assumed you were." I could hear the concern mixed with curiosity in his voice.

"My great–grandmother worked her fingers to the bone to be able to afford to buy that house...and if it wasn't for the fact that it had been left to my mom, my grandmother would have sold it years ago...and then it was left to me...did it ever occur to you, that I may have wanted to keep that house? Or that the reason I was so unhappy was because I was left to support an alcoholic step–father, which meant working all hours of the day, for minimum wage that barely paid the bills that were left on my shoulder."

My annoyance turned to sadness and in the next moment tears were rolling down my face. He took me into his arms as I cried, "Why did you make me wait so long?! If you knew how unhappy I was why didn't you help me?!" I cried into his chest as he held me close, one of his hands rubbed my back.

He held me until my cries died down.

"I'm sorry, I did what I thought was best...I'm sorry I took so long," he said, against my hair. I shook my head as I took a deep calming breath in.

"No, I'm sorry," I said, feeling guilty that I had snapped at him. "I shouldn't have snapped at you like that...I don't know what came over me." His shirt was stained with my tears. His thumbs caught the ones that continued to run down my cheeks.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked, placing a cool hand over my forehead, but I did not feel unwell, I was just tired and with the combination of losing my childhood home for good it had resulted in an overflow of emotion.

I shook my head. "Yeah, I'm just tired...," I admitted, remembering the strange dreams that had been occurring for a few days now.

Edward looked at me with furrowed brows, "Bella, you've been sleeping like the dead recently...is there something your not telling me?"

I shook my head. "No, I've just been having these crazy dreams lately. I'm sure it will pass." I could only hope that it would, for it was not normal to go to sleep and still wake up feeling tired.

Carlisle then appeared next to the table. "If your having trouble sleeping, I could give you something to help." I blushed, knowing that he had heard what had just happened between Edward and I. How could I have forgotten that he was still here?

I smiled, appreciating the offer. "Thank you, but I used to take sleeping pills after my mom passed away, and I didn't really like them."

"Well, if you change your mind, you know how to contact me," he said, then looking down at his watch. "I should go. I have to be at hospital for the graveyard shift, and I have a very long drive back." Trying to ignore the puffiness I could feel around my eyes, I hugged him goodbye, before Edward walked him out. I cleared my food away before Edward could comment on the fact that I had hardly touched my food.

As he closed the door, I walked over to the couch, stretched out my legs out on the cushions. Edward lifted my legs up, placing them on his lap, and began to massage my feet. A long comfortable minute of silence past, before something he had said registered with my tired mind. "When you said that 'I had been sleeping like the dead' what exactly did you mean?" I knew it was a stupid question, but the tiredness was starting to make my brain cells go to sleep.

"I meant that you have not been talking in your sleep, which is odd since your usually a little chatter box," he said, as his hands continued their gentle movements on my feet. "Also, you've been unusually still in your sleep."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "That's strange, I usually toss and turn when I'm having a nightmare."

"You've been having nightmares? I thought you said you've been having dreams?" he asked, with concern in his voice.

How could I tell him that I had been having dreams of our imaginary daughter? "Their a mixture of both...but not in the traditional scary sense." The dreams felt so real that I could still remember how it felt to be in those woods alone, running, without anyone around to hear me or help me.

He frowned. "If these dreams are bothering you so much, maybe you should take something to help you sleep?"

I shook my head. "No, it's a phase, I've been through this before and it passed, so I am sure this time will be no different."

He sighed, as if he did not truly believe me. "Alright, I will make a deal with you...if it doesn't pass in a few days, then you will allow me take you to the hospital or have my father come here to you."

I bit my lip as I considered his deal, for although I did not want him to make such a fuss over me, I also knew him well enough to know that if I refused he would do what he thought was best for me anyway.

I thought carefully before I answered, for it could not hurt to negotiate. "Give me two weeks." It was a long shot, but I took it anyway.

He rolled his eyes. "No, I will give you a week, and no more than that."

"Fine," I said, knowing from the tone of his voice that I would not get a better deal than that. As the feel of his hands on my feet caused me to relax against the cushions.

 **~*~ Seven days later ~*~**

As the days past it became clear that my prayers would remained unanswered. I yawned as Edward placed my breakfast in front of me. What was wrong with me? Was it the phase of the moon? I felt as though I could crawl back into bed, even though I had only left it ten minutes ago.

We sat in silence for a minute as I slowly ate. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital or would you prefer me to call my father?" he asked, with a firm tone in his voice, letting me know it was not up for discussion, and yet I argued anyway.

"Edward, you are not dragging me all the way to the hospital, just because I am tired," I said, fighting back another yawn.

His gold eyes narrowed slightly. "Fine, then I will call my father and he will figure out what is wrong you."

Before I had time to open my mouth and argue back, an unpleasant sensation shot through me, causing a thin layer of perspiration to gather on my skin.

"Bella?" I heard him ask, as I covered my mouth with my hand and shot up the stairs and into the bathroom, just in time to empty my stomach into the toilet. Cool hands pulled my hair back from my face, while a hand rubbed my back, as my stomach tightened a second time.

"Go," I said, attempting to push him away, for I did not want him seeing me like this, but he ignored me.

In that moment I had enough energy to lean back against the wall and close my eyes as I allowed my stomach to settle. A damp cloth brushed across my mouth and forehead, and this time I did not have the strength in me to tell him to leave – all the energy had left my body.

"Here," I heard him say. Opening my eyes I saw him holding a glass of water. "Thanks," I said, swirling my mouth out a couple of time, and spitting it into the toilet to help reduce the foul taste in my mouth, before flushing the toilet.

After a couple of minutes – I regained some of my strength – I put the glass down on the floor and stood up on shaky legs – Edward's hands stay on me, a support that I was thankful for. I brushed my teeth furiously until the foul taste in my mouth was gone.

"How do you feel?" he asked, brushing my hair away from my face.

"Better." The nausea had gone almost as quickly as it had come.

As I stood in front of the sink, my hands resting on the counter, I was just about to tell him to call Carlisle when my eyes caught sight of a small cardboard box that was sitting there so innocently, yet it caused my breath to catch in my throat. I stood there in utter shock for what felt like an eternity.

"Bella?" I heard him ask, obviously seeing the expression on my face. "What's wrong?" Time stood still, as I continued to stare at that little box.

"What's the date?" I eventually asked, my voice no higher then a whisper.

He paused for only a few seconds. "It's May fourteenth." I could hear the confusion in his voice as the calculations in my head repeated themselves over and over.

I had never had a problem with math, yet my mind refused to allow me to believe that my calculations were correct.

Edward continued to stand there silently waiting for me to say or doing something. Anything. There was complete silence in the room for the longest time, before I finally broke it.

"Could you give me a human minute, please?" I did not intend for it sound like a question, but I was tired, and now in shock and my mind was having trouble working right.

His eyebrows pulled down in confusion. "Sure." He hesitated for a long moment, but left the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Taking a deep breath, I reached for my bag of bathroom accessories and pulled out a little long box, for I had to be sure before I allowed myself to truly hope. Taking one of the sticks I did as it instructed, then waited, biting my nail as I stared at the little white stick.

The seconds ticked by agonizingly slowly as I waited for the two minutes to pass, by pacing back and forth.

I stopped suddenly with bated breath I stared at the plastic stick in my hand. "Bella?" When I did not answer he opened the door and was next to me in a second.

"It's positive," I whispered, as if I needed to say it out loud for it to be true, then repeated "It's positive." Was this really happening? Or was I in a cruel dream that I would soon wake from?

He looked at what I held in my hand for a long moment then the box on the counter. "Are you sure?" he asked, as if he did not believe me, yet at the same time I could see him holding back the happiness in eyes, just in-case I told him bad news.

I nodded. "Yes." It was not like me to be late, for I was like clockwork and always had been. How had I forgotten that the event which I dreaded each month, had not appeared? A couple of days I could understand, but two weeks made me feel like an idiot! Was this why I was so tired? I felt my hand move to my stomach of it's own accord, as a combination of love, joy and surprise washed over me like waves.

I was shocked out of my thoughts by the feel of his arms wrapping around me, as he kissed me with more love then he ever had before. I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him closer, dropping the pregnancy test to the counter.

My heart speed up as my skin tingled with the flickers of electricity. Despite the exhaustion in my body I felt that familiar rush of excitement shoot through me at the feel of his hands around my waist.

He broke away to let me breath, resting his forehead against mine. "I love you."

"I love you, more," I whispered.

He shook his head. "That's not possible." I rested my head on his shoulder as I saw all the jigsaw puzzles of my life fall into place. I had waited months for this moment, and now that it was here, it did not feel real.

Was it possible to feel this much happiness in one lifetime? I wondered, for the millionth time, what I had done to deserve to have this man in my arms forever. If this was a dream, I hoped that nobody would ever wake me up, for reality is sometimes never as sweet as a dream.

Pressing my lips against his throat, I whispered, "Thank you." He had given me more then I deserved, and continued to give me everything, even though I had little to give him in return.

He chuckled. "For what?" I leaned back to look up at him.

"For giving me my dreams."

 **Please Review and tell me what you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. But it is nice to dream.

 **I can't believe how many reviews I have. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed or has taken the time to follow this story. Xxx**

 **~*~ Chapter Eleven ~*~**

 **June**

 **July**

 **August**

 **September**

 **October.**

 **~ November 12** **th**

On the morning before our first anniversary, Edward surprised me with breakfast in bed: cinnamon toast, scrambled eggs, pancakes and orange juice. Until I became pregnant my appetite had been fairy normal, but now I was able to clear everything on my plate.

When I was finished, Edward gave me a human minute in the bathroom before he helped me dress in my maternity jeans, and my trainers since my large stomach was beginning to prevented me from bending. My top flowed over my stomach in a way that would not last very long if my stomach continued to get any bigger.

"Where are we going?" I asked, as I pulled my coat on. I knew he had something special planned since we had spent my nineteenth birthday watching old black and white movies on the sofa, while I ate my way through another packet of graham crackers. And much to my surprise he had conceded to my wish for him not to give me a gift.

Edward had my duffel bag over his shoulder, and I felt myself trying to figure out where in the world he was going to take me.

"If I told you that would ruin the surprise, now wouldn't it?" he asked, with a secretive smile that sent my imagination running wild. He had told me more then once that money was not a restriction for him, which meant that the possibilities were endless.

I pouted like a child, as he picked up the car keys from off the kitchen counter. "At least give me a hint."

"No," he said, as we walked out the front door. The snow crunched under my feet, as the winter air bit at my exposed skin.

I frowned. "Oh, come on, give me something." He opened the passenger door for me, before he walked to his side and got in, throwing the duffel bag onto the back seat.

He was quiet as he drove away from the cabin, then after a very long couple of minutes he answered, "Can't you simply enjoy the anticipation...you'll find out tomorrow." Tomorrow?! Where could we be going that would take us a day to reach? I felt as impatient as a child.

I contemplated pushing the issue, then my common sense returned to me and I knew he would not break. We drove for about an hour – I tried to ignore the speed he was driving – when we had to make the first bathroom stop at Fairbanks.

Apparently my daughter thought my bladder was a toy, for it seemed to be her favorite place to kick. While I used the local restroom, Edward picked up a couple more bottles of water, a large bag of chips and a couple of fruit pots.

Ten minutes later we were driving again. Edward turned on the radio, and flicked through the stations until he landed on one that played old–fashioned music.

The corners of my mouth twitched as I listened to him sing along with a song I'd never heard. He knew every line.

"You like fifties music?"

"Music in the fifties was good. Much better than the sixties, or the seventies," he shuddered. "The eighties were bearable." I could not help the laughter which escaped at the expression on his face.

Even with my hormone changes and mood swings, being with him was still as easy as breathing. We made several more stops for the bathroom in Big Delta, Tok, Koidern and then we stopped at a Diner called Doc's Diner when we reached Whitehorse, since we had been on the road for about seven hours – that included bathroom stops – and I needed something more substantial than a bag of chips.

I ordered a veggie burger with fries and an ice tea, since it was the healthiest thing on the menu. I was used to eating while Edward watched me, but what I was not used to was other women staring at my husband.

A couple of young women who looked to be in their early twenties, were sat a couple of tables away from us. I saw them lean towards each other as they whispered and glanced at him again. One of the women caught my eye and had the nerve to give me a dirty look, as if she was wondering why I was with someone as beautiful as him. She wasn't to know that I constantly wondered the same thing.

I looked away as my over active hormones decided to wake up and a prickling started behind my eyes.

I looked up from my plate when Edward stood up with his wallet in his hand. "I think it would be wise for you both to leave," he said, in a dark voice that made him sound like a vampire. I had only seen that side of him once, in the dark of the forest.

He placed some money on the table to pay for whatever they had ordered, and remained standing by their table as they gathered their things and left.

When he sat back down I was uncertain as to what to say. I felt a little bad that they had been faced with an angry vampire, for I could only imagine the expression that had accompanied his tone of voice.

"You didn't have to do that." A hint of something flashed through his eyes – a peak of what those women had seen?

"Yes, I did. I won't have you upset; it's not good for you or the baby." I almost wanted to roll my eyes, for I and the baby were both in perfect health, yet he was more protective of me now then ever. And I could not help wondering if his own maternal instincts had kicked in.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, after I finished my ice tea. I nodded. He paid and gave a generous tip to the waitress.

A few minutes later he parked by the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport. Edward took our documents out of the duffel bag before he put it over his shoulder and took my hand.

"What about your car?" I asked, looking back at the car as we walked away. Surely it wasn't safe to just leave it there?

He shrugged. "It will be fine," he said, as if he was talking about an old pair of shoes.

He bought us two first class tickets to Seattle. I looked at him with raised eyebrows, but he only smiled at me. Why were we going to Seattle?

My muscles relaxed when we were seated on the plane. As I stared out the little window I watched as the world shrank away as the plane took off into the sky.

"What would you do if the plane started to go down?" I asked, in a low voice so that the other passengers would not hear.

He looked at me quizzically. It was a random question, but I was curious to know the answer.

"Why would the plane be going down?" he asked, in an equally low voice. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

I shrugged. "The pilots are passed out drunk."

"Easy, I'd fly the plane."

My eyes widened in surprise. "You know how to fly a plane?" Why did this surprise me? He laced his fingers through mine.

"A hundred years does not go as faster you think, especially when you have forever...and you will be surprised at the past times you find yourself doing to pass the time."

"Is there anything you can't do?"

He was silent for a long moment.

"Edward?" I know that he had heard me.

"I'm thinking," he answered. I laughed as I shook my head.

Two hours later we landed in Seattle–Tacoma international airport. I had forgotten how draining traveling could be. Walking out of the airport we got into a waiting taxi. My duffel bag laying across his lap since there was not much space on mine anymore.

"600 Roosevelt Way," Edward told the driver and then we were moving again. I had become so accustomed to Edwards driving, that it felt strange to be in a car with someone that drove at the legal speed limit.

"What's at 600 Roosevelt Way?"

"A car rental company." I looked at him with surprise. Where did he intend to take me that would require him renting a car? Was Seattle not our final destination?

He cocked his head to the side. "How else did you expect me to get you around Seattle?" he asked, answering my previous question to myself.

Despite having lived so close, I had only been to Seattle once for my thirteen birthday but as I looked out the window I knew that this was not the same area I had visited – I could tell immediately that we must have been in the nicer part of Seattle.

Around an hour later I rested my head back against the headrest of my seat – the rental car smelt surprisingly fresh, as if it had been freshly cleaned.

"We're almost there," he said, taking my hand. He must have seen the tired expression on my face.

"And were is 'there' exactly?"

He shrugged. "About twenty minutes away." I rolled my eyes, for it seemed as though he was determined to keep as much of this trip a secret as he possibly could.

A yawn escaped me as I longed for a bed and something to eat. The ride took longer than I was expecting due to traffic, and for the first time Edward had to drive at a somewhat normal speed.

"I hate driving slow," he complained.

I raised my eye brows at him; he was driving at the speed limit and he still considered that slow?

I am not sure what I was expecting, but a huge glass tower block was not on the list.

Edward parked the car and put the keys in his pea coat pocket. Then we stepped out into the cold November air. "What are we doing here?" I asked, as he wrapped an arm around my waist and began to lead me towards the building.

"I bought the penthouse," he said, casually. I was silent with shock for a long moment as his words sank in. I took no notice of my surroundings as we walked into the building.

My frozen mind suddenly shattered. "What?!" What was wrong with a hotel?

He shrugged. "Retail is a very good investment, Bella...besides, if you don't like it I will sell it," he said, as if he was talking about something casual like the weather. He pressed the button for the elevator.

"Are there any other buildings I should know about?" I demanded, as I recalled him telling me that over the last hundred years – as well as the cabin in Alaska and the house in Forks he had purchased a house in Paris, Russia and Montana, and a hotel in New York called Sanctuary; it was run by a human man called Seth who would ring Edward on the very rare occasion if a problem arose.

He gave me his beautiful crooked smile. "No...I would have told you about my recent purchase, but that would have ruined the surprise." After we stepped into the warm elevator, with all mirrored glass walls, Edward tapped a code into the keypad and we began to move.

I took a deep breath to calm my hormones. "You _will_ tell me next time," I said, in a firm voice. We were meant to be partners and he had decided this all on his own.

As he opened his mouth to reply the doors opened and a man probably in his late thirties walked in. He looked like a business man with his smart gray suit and black briefcase. Looking down at me, Edward nodded.

Silence fell over us like a blanket, for I did not want to discuss our private business in the company of a stranger. With every breath I inhaled the scent of thick aftershave – my stomach turned in a familiar way and I knew I was going to be sick if we did not exit this elevator soon.

As the elevator continued to move up in a steady motion, I closed my eyes as I breathed through my mouth in an attempt to calm my rolling stomach. My hand went to my stomach as if that would in some way help.

"Bella, are you alright?" Edward asked, quietly – with worry in his voice – obviously noticing my slow breaths, and no-doubt the shade of green on my face.

I felt relief when suddenly the elevator stopped at the eighth floor, and the man stepped out into the hallway taking his aftershave with him. Edward wrapped his around me, supporting me against him.

"Is it the baby?" he asked, panic seeping into his voice.

I shook my head. "No, I just feel sick." I watched the relief wash over his face, and I knew that I had given my daughter what I once had.

A father that would love her.

Cherish her.

Protect her.

"Do you want to sit down?" he asked, as the elevator stopped at the thirtieth floor – the doors drew back to reveal a large foyer.

I shook my head, again. "No, I just need to get out of this elevator." Stepping out into the foyer I took deep breaths of clean air. I took in the white walls, brown stone marble floor and a large black and white canvas on the wall of New York City.

A white console table sat below it with a cream lap on it.

Edward took my coat and laid it on the table. As we walked into the large open space I found it hard to imagine him living in such a modern apartment, when he had always been more old–fashioned in his taste. My stomach started to settle.

The brown stone marble floor spread out across an open space which was decorated with a black piano and a dark wooden table against the wall. To the left was a wide white staircase that twisted up and around to the second floor, and past that was a couple of round gray sofa's with a low round coffee table between them.

A few feet further back was a long wooden table with eight pale brown cushioned chairs which were placed on a slightly raised platform. A cream carpet lay beneath it.

On the right was a silver and dark wooden kitchen with a long island with stools tucked under the counter of the island.

While four large windows ran along the top of the wall to wall counter top. Tall windows ran along the front wall of the apartment, while long dark curtains framed them.

The view of Seattle was better than I ever thought it would be, for although I had grown to love the smell of pine after a storm, and the crisp fresh smell of the air in the cool morning, I could not deny that there was a type of modern beauty to the way the buildings flowed from tall to short.

"What do you see? What does the world look like through your eyes?"

"Everything is brighter, clearer," he said, moving to stand behind me, his arms wrapped around my stomach while his lips brushed my ear. "I used to believe that the most beautiful sight in this world was watching the sun rise or set...and then I saw you for the first time."

My face became warm with the complement.

Turning in his arms I reached up on my tiptoes and kissed him, which was not as easy as it had once been with the added weight I now carried. His hair was soft against my fingers, as I tasted the sweetness of his breath against my lips.

He pulled back, resting his forehead against mine. "You look dead on your feet." My stomach chose that moment to make it's self known, reminding me that I had not eaten in a few hours.

I laughed. "You never can escape being human for very long." He gave me a crooked grin as he placed my duffel bag on the floor. He moved around the kitchen with ease, as if he was born to be there. I should not have been surprised that there was food in the cupboards and fridge, but I was. Pulling out one of the stools I sat down.

I watched as he made me a chicken stir fry with fresh vegetables that took him a mere second to chop.

We were silent for a couple of minutes, the only sound in the room being the sound of chicken and vegetables hissing over the heat of the stove.

As I looked around the immaculate kitchen I felt as though I was in a dream, for I still found it hard to believe that this was my life.

Something occurred to me then. "If you could afford to go anywhere in the world, why did you come to Forks?"

He paused what he was doing. "I was only passing through...it was rare for me to visit my father, and when I did, it was often brief...I planned on leaving straight after, but instead I chose to go hunting...I had just finished when the wind blew in my direction and brought the most delicious scent with it...and then there you were...so fragile, yet you became my gravity. Nothing else mattered, but you...I wanted to go to you, to protect you, to love you, comfort you...but as you know I chose to wait." There was a hint of regret in his voice, and I could not help feeling guilty for I had placed it there in him when my newly pregnant hormones had decided to shoot out of me at full force.

Words failed me as his words lingered in the air like the last note of a melody. What had I done to deserve to have someone like him? To be loved by someone like him? Maybe one day I would know the answers to this mystery, but until I did I would spend forever asking.

Wondering.

He gave me a soft smile, before he turned back to the wok taking the food off the heat and served me a plate with a large portion. Until I took that first mouthful I had not realized how hungry I was, and I cleared my plate with pleasure.

After he cleared my plate away he picked up my duffel bag again, and taking my hand he lead me up the wide staircase and onto a landing of white walls and doors. He stopped at the third door, opened it and allowed me to walk in before he followed, closing the door behind him.

The room was decorated with cream walls, light wooden dresser, and two bedside tables that were placed on either side of a double bed with a simple cream duvet and pale brown throw that was laid folded over the bottom of the bed.

The room was minimal, with only the bare essentials. As I removed my shoes with my feet, Edward placed my duffel bag down on the floor next to the door. He then took out my bathroom bag and my white maternity pajamas out of the bag and handed them to me.

I smiled to myself as I took them from him.

"The bathroom is through there," he said, motioning to a white door. The bathroom looked as modern as the rest of the apartment, with a white tiled floor, white walls, a glass shower and a large white bath – both of them looked big enough for two people.

After I changed into my pajama, I brushed my teeth and my hair, and then with some difficulty I managed to pick my jeans up off of the floor.

When I walked back into the bedroom, Edward was already laying on the bed with his shoes off. He gave me a look as I lay my folded clothes on top of the dresser, then he shook his head.

"What?" I asked, looking down at myself.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to resit you when you look that beautiful?" he asked, watching me as I climbed into bed; it was comfortable, but I would have expected nothing less from my husband.

"Then why do it?" Over the last couple of months he had eased back from a certain area of our relationship, which would have been fine if my need for him did not burn as bright as ever. "I'm not going to break...I think we've proven that." I moved a little closer to him.

"And what about her?" he asked, his hand moved to my stomach. "It only takes a second to make a mistake...but you have forever to regret it." Even though I knew he would never truly hurt either of us, I could see the truth in his words, so I simply nodded.

Curling up against him I lay my head on his cool chest, placing my hand on his stomach, as I allowed his sweet scent to surround me, like a sweet perfume. As I listened to the sound of his breathing, I felt him kiss my hair before my dreams took over.

The next morning I was awoken by the far too familiar pressure on my bladder.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Edward said, quietly in the morning light. I could feel his hand resting gently on my stomach as I opened my eyes to look at him in the bright morning light.

I shook my head. "It's not you." I laid my hand over his, reluctant to leave the comfort of the bed, even as my bladder continued to demand it's need.

Edward gave me a soft smile, as he misunderstood what I had meant. "I'm surprised she didn't wake you up sooner...it felt like she was dancing in there." That was strange. She usually woke me up when she was that active. I must have been more tired then I had thought.

I smiled when I felt the familiar sensation of our daughter kicking against our hands – thankfully it was not my bladder, for despite what Edward and I had experienced together I would never recover from the embarrassment of wetting myself in-front of him.

"That was a strong one," I laughed.

"She certainly has her mother's spirit." I gave him a look, which made him chuckle. "You really don't see yourself very clearly, do you? You are a lot stronger than you allow yourself to believe...you have experienced the darkness of this world, and yet you have walked away unscathed, when others would become consumed."

I looked into his eyes, as if I would find the words I was searching for in their depths. "It's easier to fight through the darkness, when you have someone to live for." He lifted his hand from my stomach to cup my face, as his eyes softened with emotion.

"Happy anniversary." He closed the gap between us and kissed me before I had the chance to reply. The kiss was soft and gentle.

I smiled against his lips. "First of many." I gave him a quick kiss in return before I climbed out of bed and made my way to the bathroom. After I took care of my morning business, I smiled when I turned the shower on, and found it to be a power shower.

Taking a hairband from my bathroom bag I tied my hair up in a bun and stripped off, placing my pajamas on the counter top. As the water warmed I brushed my teeth. When I stepped into the warm water I felt my muscles relax under the warmth. The bathroom filled with the scent of strawberry from my little bottle of shower gel.

I reluctantly stepped out from the water, wrapped a fluffy towel around myself, and turned the water off. Walking back into the bedroom I dried myself, then with the help of Edward, I got dressed into a pair of maternity leggings, a blue knee length dress – that flowed over my stomach – and a pair of black flat ankle boots.

After my breakfast of waffles with honey and a glass of water, I pulled on my coat, and then we left the penthouse and climbed into the car.

Edward's thumb stroked the back of my hand during the drive, and I could not help feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves, for although I did not enjoy being in the spotlight I was extremely curious to know what he was going to surprise me with.

I could not deny that he had a talent for surprising me with the most unexpected thing I could imagine.

The drive only lasted about ten minutes, and I once again found myself stepping out into the cold winter air. As we drew closer my eyes caught sight of the words in the window of the building:

Penelope And The Beauty Bar

"What are we doing here?" I asked, as Edward held the door open for me, as a cold breeze bit at my skin.

"You didn't think I would give you nothing for your birthday, did you?" he said, with as smile. I gave him a look, but chose to keep my thoughts to myself.

As we walked up a small staircase that lead to a reception area; shelves of products lined one wall, while a young woman – with poker straight strawberry blond hair and lightly tanned skin – stood behind a cream marble counter. A black cabinet adjoined the counter with shelves of beautiful jewelry.

As soon as the young woman behind the counter saw Edward, I no longer existed. Was there no women out there with subtly?

"Hi, can I help you?" she asked, with a polite voice, yet I could hear something else in her voice that made my brows pull down. I had no reason to worry about Edward, yet I could not help feeling annoyed at the way women stared at him.

A part of me understood, for he was beautiful.

A Greek Adonis.

But he was my Greek Adonis.

"Yes, my wife has an appointment." I smiled to myself when he said that. She glanced at me quickly before she looked back at my husband.

"What's the name?"

"Isabella Cullen," he said; his voice caressed my name in a way that sent a delicious shiver down my spine. Did he do that on purpose? Was he trying to drive me wild?

The woman typed on a keyboard as she looked at a monitor. "Would you both like to take a seat and your masseuse will be with you in a moment?" she asked, finally looking at me for longer than two seconds. I'm having a massage? Didn't that involve being naked under a sheet?

We sat down on one of the two white padded chairs that stood in front of a low round table with magazines neatly placed in the middle. Only a few minutes passed, when a woman in her early thirties walked down the hall and towards me.

"Mrs Cullen?"

I stood. "Yes."

"Hi, I'm Maria, and I will be your masseuse today." I shook her out stretched hand. I felt some of my nerves calm down as she smiled at me. "Would you like to follow me?" she asked – and for once her eyes did not travel to the man behind me – before leading me down a hall and into a dim lit room with incense in the air, and a soft music played in the background.

I felt relaxed until she said, "Alright, I am going to leave you alone for a few minutes so that you can undress. Once your ready lay down on the table under the sheet." She left then, closing the door behind her. How much did she intend for me to take off? What if I took too much off? What if I didn't take enough off? If I asked, would she think me an idiot for not knowing?

I hesitated for a moment, before I took off my coat and hanged it on a hook on the door. I then took off my shoes, leggings, socks, my dress and placed them folded on a free space on a cupboard. I was thankful that I had worn my nice maternity underwear.

I took a deep breath. "Don't be such a coward," I reprimanded myself as I climbed onto the massage table, laid on my back and covered myself with the sheet.

A minute later I heard a tap on the door. "May I come in?"

"Yes."

The door opened and Maria walked back in. I watched her move around the room, then she lifted the sheet slowly back and laid it by my hip. Even though she did this as a living, it felt strange to be half naked on a table in front of a strange woman.

"Are there any particular area's that you would like me to pay more attention to?" she asked, in a soft voice.

My mind froze. "Umm...I don't think so?" I didn't intend for it to come out as a question.

She smiled down at me. "Are you experiencing any discomfort?"

I hesitated, for I knew Edward would be able to hear what I was saying. "I do have some back ache." I tried my best to hide any discomfort I felt from Edward, for I knew that he would only fuss over me. Of course there were some things I could not hide from him, such as how easy it was for me to become out of breath or how swollen my ankles were.

She nodded. "Alright, would you feel comfortable laying on your side?"

"Sure." I shifted under the sheet, turning to lay on my side. She picked up a bottle among many others, squeezed a little into her hand and rubbed them together. Walking back over to stand in front of me she started on my shoulder.

My muscles started to relax as she moved down my arm. Her movements were slow, not leaving an inch of my skin un–touched. Her touch was gentle, yet firm – I finally understood why people paid good money for this treatment.

We fell in and out of comfortable silences. Time no longer existed, so I was surprised when she told me, "I'm just going to cover you back up."

"How long was that?"

"That was an hour," she answered with humor in her voice. Did I look as sleepy as I felt?

What followed was a pedicure.

Then a manicure, with a facial. I had never been very girly, yet I found myself enjoying every second. Why had I been nervous about this? When it was time for me to get dressed I inwardly groaned as I looked at my cloths for I knew that this was not going to be easy without any help.

And I was right.

When I walked out into the reception area I smiled when I saw Edward taking his credit card back from the receptionist. I was thankful that I would not know how much I had cost him, for it would ruin my buzz.

"Hi beautiful," he smiled, as he wrapped an arm around me.

"Hi." With an arm around my waist he lead me outside and into the car.

"How was it?"

It took me a second longer than it should have to understand his meaning.

"It was a lot better than I thought it would be, thank you." Although a little warning would have been nice.

He gave me a one sided smile. "I'm glade...because I am not finished yet."

I looked at him with surprise when we stopped outside the Paramount theater. "What are we seeing?" I asked, as we get out of the car.

He gave me a crooked smile. "What's your favorite play?" he asked, almost avoiding my question.

I thought for a minute as we stood on the sidewalk. "Rome and Juliet." He gave me a smile that told me that I had answered my own question.

I looked at him with surprise. "You bought us tickets to see Romeo and Juliet live?" I could barely hold back my enthusiasm as I smiled at him like a child presented with a table full of presents.

He nodded.

"Your amazing," was all that managed to come out from the whirlwind of words that were flying through my head. He laughed; it was a beautiful sound.

The red and gray stone of the building showed nothing of the beauty inside. Two staircases wound up and around, joining together as a landing. The second floor glowed with the light of large chandelier's, while a second staircases bent round to the third floor.

Edward pulled a couple of tickets out of his coat pocket and showed them to the usher. I shook my head as we found our seats on the balcony over looking the theater. "How did you plan all of this?"

"You would be surprised at what you can achieve when money is not a restriction," he said, as we took our seats. "It also helps that I know you so well." I pulled my arms out of my coat, letting it fall against the seat.

I smiled, entwining my fingers through his as the hushed tone of voices echoed through the theater as they found their seats.

People continued to fill up the rows of chairs that reminded me of a stadium. The empty seats below us disappeared as people continued to come in through the doors. A hush came over the crowd as the lights dimmed down and the red curtain across the stage began to lift. The excitement inside me lifted to another level.

The actors came out and I became enthralled with every word they spoke. I forgot about every one else around me as the love between Romeo and Juliet wrapped around me like a bubble. I knew this would be one of the experiences in my life I would remembered forever.

About two hours later the actors took their final bow and the air was filled with the sound of applause. The red curtain came back down, and the chatter of people returned.

"That was amazing, Edward, thank you," I said, as we walked down the first flight of stairs.

"I aim to please, Mrs Cullen." He kissed my forehead as his arm wrapped around my 'waist'. We walked to a nearby cafe where I got a hot chocolate, a cinnamon bagel and a blueberry muffin, then we sat down at one of the tables.

"Your quiet. What are you thinking about?" He asked, after I had finished my bagel.

I shook my head. "If I had written a bucket list I would swear you were ticking it off." Not that I had ever contemplated having a massage, but that was besides the point.

He narrowed his eyes playfully. "You have a list?"

I shrugged. "Doesn't everyone?" Wasn't it normal to wish for something you know you may never have? To allow yourself the hope that it may happen someday.

He thought for a moment. "What's on the list?"

I smiled to myself, taking a sip of my hot chocolate. "Well, obviously there's you...our daughter" – and hopefully another daughter before I was frozen in time, at the same age as my dad. "...the rest is just...it doesn't really matter any more, because I have everything I've ever truly wanted."

His expression softened. "You know the beauty of dreaming is that when a dream comes true, you are always able dream another one...our daughter was my first dream...but you will always be my miracle, Bella."

I looked away, for the intensity of his eyes was making it hard not to cry, while I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. I took a couple of breaths. "Does that mean _you_ have a list?"

One corner of his mouth pulled up. "Not exactly. It's more a top ten of my favorite moments."

"What are they?"

He laughed. "Try to guess."

I shook my head. "There are too many nights I don't know about. A century of them."

"I'll narrow it down for you. All of my best nights have happened since I met you."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

I thought for a moment. "I can only think of mine," I admitted.

"They might be the same as mine," he encouraged. There were so many nights to chose from, for my list was constantly growing. I wrapped my hands around my cup, feeling the warmth seep into my hands.

"Well, there's the first night I met you." That memory was crystal clear in my mind as if it had happened seconds ago.

He nodded. "Yes, that's one of mine, although the first time I saw you was another day that made the list."

"Then there's our wedding..." Despite the attention I had received during the ceremony and the reception party that had followed, I had loved the feel of the wedding band being placed on my finger, making me his forever.

He smiled softly. "You were so beautiful..."

"It was perfect." We were silent for a moment, his eyes filled with the same emotions I felt.

"Tell me another one," he said, breaking the silence.

"Our honeymoon." I started to nibble at my muffin.

His eyes narrowed playfully. "Which night?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know which night." Walking the streets of Florence, seeing the beauty of the sun rising behind the horizon would always be a memory to take my breath away.

"I'd be lying if I told you that it was not at the top of the list," he admitted, causing my face to become warm at the compliment.

"Tell me one of yours?" I asked.

The playful emotions in his eyes softened. "Hearing our daughter's heart beat for the first time." I envied him, for I only heard her heartbeat when we had went for our twenty week scan.

"That's one of mine." Although I had to wait a little longer then him to be able to hear it. We were silent for a minute, content with our thoughts. Wasn't the first year of marriage meant to be the hardest? Or did that only occur when both partners were completely human?

If the past year was a taste of eternity with Edward, I longed for the sweet taste of each day, for he was my drug and I was unconditionally addicted to him and always would be.

I finished my muffin and drank the last of my hot chocolate. As we left the cafe I asked, "Where are we going now?"

"I was thinking we could spend a little time focusing on our daughter," he said, as I got into the passenger seat of the car.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see," was all he would tell me.

After two hours of shopping in Tottini – the largest baby store I had ever seen – we left with _almost_ everything we would need for the baby when she came. And for the first time, I actually felt like a normal teenage girl, as we looked at some of the cutest baby clothes, and toys, I had ever seen. However I was thankful when we returned to Escala for those two hours of walking had taken a little out of me. Plus my bladder was making it's demands known, which had made the drive feel longer. I almost let out a sigh of relief when we walked into the elevator with an old couple.

There was silence in the elevator as we past each level. The elevator stopped at the sixth floor, the doors opened, and the couple exited .

The doors closed and we began to move again. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like to grow old?"

He looked at me. "No...is that what you dream of?" I could hear the curiosity and slight confusion in his voice.

I gave him a reassuring smile. "No, I dream of being with you forever." He gave me a knee weakening smile. "You love me more than I deserve."

I rolled my eyes at how absurd his words were, as the elevator stopped at our floor – the doors opened, and I rushed to the bathroom.

Around two and a half hours later we pulled up outside the Canlis restaurant. I felt a little under – dressed in such an elegant establishment. Edward looked perfect in his black jacket, dark shirt and black trousers. My heat fluttered at the memory of him standing at the alter, looking so beautiful that he had made everyone else disappear.

The hostess showed us up a set of stairs to the second floor of the restaurant. We were walked to a private table. Glass windows ran along the entire second floor, allowing a breathtaking view of Seattle. The deep ocean blue sky stared down at the sapphire blue of the glowing city below.

Edward held my chair out for me. "Thank you." You never can take the manners out of the gentleman. He took the seat across from me.

The hostess handed us both our menus – although only one of us would be eating tonight – and said, "Server will be with you soon," then walked away.

I glanced over the menu and wondered what was wrong with a dollar menu? As long as the food tasted good, he could have taken me anywhere. And yet – I was sure that – he had chosen the most expensive restaurant he could find. Almost everything on the menu looked good, but I had to avoid certain foods due to my pregnancy.

I bit my lip as I looked at all the choices on the menu.

It took me a few minutes to decide and when I looked up a young waiter was stood by our table. How long had he been stood there? "Are you ready to order?" he asked, with a polite voice. He was cute in a boy band way with short blond hair and bright blue eyes.

"Umm...yes," I said, looking at the menu for the name of the courses. I ordered roasted sunchoke, with black garlic, parsley and lemon. And pan–seared chicken with king trumpet mushrooms, asparagus and pickled fiddlehead ferns. And for dessert; a ginger chocolate fondant with milk crumble and toasted rice.

He wrote down quickly on his pad, as I gave him my order, for I had hated it when people would throw their order at me, and then get annoyed when I asked them to repeat something.

The waiter turned to Edward. "Anything for you, sir?"

"No, I'm on a special diet," he answered, with a secret smile that only I recognized.

"Alright, I'll be back with your order soon," he said giving me a smile before he walked away. I could not resist smiling back, as I remembered the hours I had spent working in Eclipse.

It had been nice working with friends, however now that I looked back I realized that although I had been distraught at the loss of my job...I had never realized how much I disliked being a waitress.

For not only would my feet feel as though they would want to drop off by the end of each shift, but serving some of the rudest people I have met in my life – with a smile, was one of the hardest thing I have had to do in my life.

And I was relieved that that part of my life was behind me.

"What is it?" Edward asked, obviously seeing the distant expression on my face.

I shrugged. "It's nothing...I just feel like I've blinked and an entire year has passed me by."

"Is that bad?" he asked, with humor in his eyes.

A smile tugged at my lips. "No...no, it's not." In the same breath I said, "Thank you for today, it's been wonderful."

"There is one more thing I need to do," he said, reaching down by his chair, then placed a gift box on the table. Where had that come from? Had he carried it in with him? How had I missed that?

"Edward –" I started – in an almost whiny voice, but he interrupted me. "Bella, this isn't for you, so you have no reason to throw a tantrum."

I frowned at him, with slight confusion. I lifted the lid off the gift box, peeled back the tissue paper and found my hands pausing for a moment.

My breath caught in my throat as I lifted a white wooden music box into my hands. Two delicate butterflies sat on either end – both perfectly molded from one piece of wood that was now the lid. Tiny Amethyst decorated the small wings. I ran my finger over the initials:

.M. C.

There was a small space where her first initial would go. "Do you like it?"

I nodded, words were suddenly so difficult. "It's beautiful." Opening it, the inside was lined with the softest white padding, I longed to turn the winder and hear the soft melody danced through the air, but resisted due to the other people around us.

"I had it hand made for her," his voice was soft – I could heard the emotion there. "I thought you wouldn't mind if I carried on the tradition your father started." When did he do this?

Looking up at him, I fought back the hormonal tears. "My parents would have really liked you...my mom always appreciated a handsome men." I could not deny the small wave of sadness that ran through me that I would never see my parents again, for even though I would have everything I had dreamed of, I had come to realized that true love means sacrifice.

But it's worth it.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet them...to comfort you." Yes, but without the darkness we are unable to see the stars.

I was silent for a moment. "You're here now, that's all that matters."

"Forever."

"Forever," I agreed.

 **Thank you for reading. Xxx Please review and tell me what you think. xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

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 **Alright, this is the last chapter and I would like to once again, thank everyone for reading and reviewing. I have received a lot of good criticism which I will use to improve my next story. XXX I am sorry that this chapter is a little squished together, but it was really hard to write. XXXX**

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 **~*~ Chapter Twelve ~*~**

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 **January 14** **th**

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As I ran my hands over the smooth wood of the white crib, I smiled at the two scans – one at twelve weeks, and the other at twenty weeks – which hanged on the wall over her crib in small white wooden frames. I was relieved when Carlie had been able to do both scans – especially when I heard her slow beating heart; a sign of her hybrid heritage. I knew that an ordinary doctor would have become worried that the baby was in distress.

A musical mobile of moons and stars hung over the side of the crib, which matched the pale moon and star bedding which lay in the crib, simply waiting to be used. Along with a couple of stuffed toys and my old baby blanket that would soon be hers.

Edward had painted the room a cream colour, since he would not allow me anywhere near the fumes of wet pain, while on the floor now laid a soft white carpet, and a large soft pale pink rug.

In the corner, next to the wall of glass, sat the little white rocking horse from Carlisle – a gift he had given to us when we told him I was pregnant.

A white dresser sat against the other wall – the only items on it were a music box, which Edward had had made for our daughter to carry on the tradition my dad had started. A pink teddy bear and a photo album that would one day be filled with sweet memories.

Next to the dresser was a white wooden changing table, where packs of nappies were neatly stacked beneath on the shelf, next to the wet wipes and talcum powder.

While the rocking chair was still by the window – the only piece of furniture in the room that was not white. A cream padded cover laid over the back and seat of the chair. On the opposite wall in pale pink paint was...

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More

Than

My

Own

Life

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Small pale lilac stars were painted around the words. A white shelf hung from the wall which held little story books, with colorful A and Z bookends to hold them in place.

We had also had carpet put on the stairs, for I did not want her to hit her head on the wood when she started to crawl – it was then that I knew that my maternal instincts had started to kick in.

Walking over to the window I looked out over the snow covered land below like a blanket, as snow flakes continued to fall from the darkening sky. Even though it was only early afternoon the sky was dim, as it always was during winter time.

As I rubbed my hand over my stomach – it felt as though I had only blinked since the first time I was standing here looking at this room for the first time, wondering what it would look like. Where had the time gone? The last eight months have gone by in the blink of an eye. Even though I was excited I was also nervous, for I had never even held a baby before, let alone cared for what. What if I did something wrong? I knew Edward would be there to help me, but somehow the thought didn't ease my worries.

Strong arms wrapped around my large stomach, as a cool kiss was placed on my neck. My hand shot to his at the feel of our daughter kicking, as if she knew who those hands belonged to.

"Oh, that was a really strong one," I said, then a moment later she kicked again, causing me to laugh for she only kicked that hard when Edward put his hands on my stomach. Unfortunately it was still my bladder that she favored most of the time.

Turning around in his arms I placed my hands on his chest, while his hands moved to lay on my non–existent waist.

"Penny for your thoughts," he asked, after a minute of silence.

My eyebrows furrowed, as a more concerning thought came to light. "I'm just worried about...the birth." We had agreed that I would have the baby at home, for it would be more comfortable for me and more private for the both of us, but the worries of what could go wrong was always in my mind.

I had once enjoyed watching One Born Every Minute, however since I became pregnant the thought of watching a program that depicted what I would soon experience was not a favorite pastime of mine any more.

His eyes softened as he looked at me. "Bella, everything is going to be fine...my father is the best doctor you could hope for. He won't let anything happen to you or our daughter." Easy enough for him to say when he is not the one faced with the most painful experience a women can go through.

I nodded, even though his words had not helped calm my nerves. As I looked away from him my eyes caught sight of her music box and a lighter thought came to me.

I looked back at him. "You know...we still have to give her a name." So far all the names we had looked at either neither of us liked or we could not agree on, and I only had a couple of weeks to go before my due date. Well at least we had agreed on her middle name for after much discussion, he had somehow persuaded me to agree to use my middle name for the baby's middle name as well, since it had been my mother's and my grandmother's. Another family tradition that he seemed determined to continue.

I had however gotten his ironclad promise that we would use _his_ mother's middle name, when we had another baby – if we had another. Although I never verbalized it, the knowledge that my body could become frozen in time forever, at any moment was always in the back of my mind. And I found myself praying that my daughter would be born first.

"Did you have something in mind?" he asked, with curiosity in his voice.

There were a few that we had not considered – if that was possible – that I had in mind. "Emily?"

He shook his head. "No." I had asked him 'why' so many times that I just moved onto the next name without asking questions.

"Annabelle?" I asked.

"No."

"Lilly?"

He thought for a second, only to say, "No." Considering my husband was over a hundred years old, he apparently was not a fan of old–fashioned named. Who would have seen that coming?

"Sibyl?"

"No."

My eyebrows pulled down with confusion, and I had to ask, "What's wrong with Sibyl?" I knew it was old-fashioned, but it was not a common name anymore, which was the reason I liked it.

His nose scrunched up immediately. "I had an aunt named Sibyl...I don't want our daughter to be tainted in that way." I was not sure what he meant by that, but chose not to ask.

I let out a sigh, then took a moment to think about the final name I had been considering.

"Don't worry, Bella, we'll think of something," he said, trying to reassure me.

I stared at my hands as they played with one of the buttons on his white shirt. "Well, there is one that I really like, and I really hope you do to." What if he didn't like it? We were running out of time and names.

His looked at me curiously. "What is it?"

I bit my lip. "Well...I've been kicking around a few things. Playing with Esme and Renee...and I've been trying different combinations...what do you think of, Ruh– _nez_ –may?" I watched his expression for any sign that he did or did not like it, but he gave away nothing.

"Ruhnezmay?" he asked, looking at me curiously.

I shook my head. "No...R.E.N.E.S.M.E.E."

"Renesmee," he said slowly, testing the name.

"Is it too weird?" I bit my lip, as I kept my expression neutral.

He kept me waiting for another minute – as I waited for the no – before he shook his head. "No...it's beautiful...just like her mother." Leaning down he kissed me softly. My hands found their way into his hair, and I would have pulled him closer if it wasn't for my stomach getting in the way. When he pulled back he rested his forehead against mine. I felt a sense of relief that he had not rejected the name, for I had become fond of it – a combination of our pasts with all the beauty of the feature.

His sweet breath washed over my face when he said, "I actually came up to ask you if you were hungry, and then you distracted me."

I felt the corners of my lips twitch. "Food sounds good." With all the food in the world I could have craved anything, and yet my body decided on eggs.

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 **~ February 3** **rd** ~

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After nine long hours of labor Renesmee Marie Cullen was born with loud cries that told of her displeasure. Sweat coated my body like I had run a marathon, while my body yearned for the sleep it had earned, but I forced my eyes to stay open.

Edward tied the cord, and cleared her airways just like Carlisle had told him to do, if he was unable to be here when I went into labor. He had tried calling him, but Carlisle was apparently in theater and was unable to come to the phone. Edward wrapped the placenta in a towel and placed it in a large bowl to dispose of it later.

My legs were still shaking from the shock of what had just happened, and I finally understood why women called it labor. For that was what I had just gone through. The early rays of the morning filled the room with a warm glow.

I smiled when Edward placed our daughter in my arms for the first time – her tiny body wrapped in a soft pink blanket – her skin flamed with colour. Her cries slowly dying down to grumbles of displeasure as she lay in my loving arms. She was even more beautiful then her father.

It was unbelievable.

It was impossible.

"Hi," I whispered, as the tears began to fall down my cheeks, blurring my vision. Her perfectly round head was covered in a thick layer of dark, damp, bronze-colored curls. Her tiny face was so absolutely perfect that it stunned me. "So beautiful..."

I never thought I could love anyone more then I loved Edward, yet looking into her innocent face I knew I had been wrong, for my world had shifted – Edward would always be the love of my existence, but Renesmee would always be my little miracle.

With a gentle touch I brushed my fingertips over her warm cheek; her skin was soft and silky. How had something so perfect come from me? She squinted up at me – the sudden shock of light around her causing her to be reluctant to open her eyes.

Her little hands were curled up tight in little fists, while her full lips parted to expose a little pink tongue. Nothing had ever felt more natural then this moment and I wished I could pause time just to cling to it just a little longer.

I looked up at Edward – I had almost forgotten that he was there. "She's so tiny..." He was looking at our daughter with so much emotion that it caused more tears to flow. He looked at her with more love then he had ever shown me, and that was how it should be.

"She's perfect," he said, leaning in to place a kiss on our daughter's head.

Our daughter!

I had a daughter.

As I gazed down at her, her eyes opened. Her irises were a familiar colour – but astonishing – chocolate brown.

She looked up at me as if I had all the answers and I could only hope that I could give her everything she needed, and be everything that she needed me to be. I knew in that moment that the saying was true – you never truly know how much your mother loves you until you become one yourself.

In a moment of overwhelming emotion I allowed another tear to roll down my cheek, as I wished that my mom and dad had been here to see their first grandchild. What advice would they have been able to give me? What stories would my mom have been able to tell me? Even though I felt the warmth of her in my arms, she still didn't seem real, as if I was in a dream that I would wake up from at any moment.

After what could have been minutes, I looked up from her little face. "Do you want to hold her?" I asked, feeling selfish for never wanting to let her go, even to her father.

Without a word he lifted her out of my arms with gentle hands, cradling her in his arms as he continued to sit next to me on the bed. She looked even smaller in his arms somehow. I smiled softly as I watched him gaze at her as if he was seeing the sun for the first time, and I knew from that moment, she would have him wrapped around her little finger.

"She's beautiful," he whispered, as his finger gently brushed her little cheek.

"That's because she takes after her daddy," I said, softly, and for once he did not argue, he simply leaned in and kissed me softly, as if he was afraid I would break, despite what he had just witnessed me endured for the past nine hours.

"I love you."

"I love you, more," I whispered back.

He smiled against my lips. "That's impossible." I rolled my eyes, since I was too tired to think of a clever reply. After a moment Edward said, "How about I clean her up, while you get some rest?" Sleep did sound good. "Okay." Placing a kiss on my forehead, I watched him stand and walk out of the room. I was reluctant to close my eyes – the need to see her, hold her again was so strong, but the exhaustion I had been fighting was stronger, and with a sigh I closed my eyes and allowed my dreams to take hold.

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 **~o~ Two Years Later ~o~**

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As I sat on our red tartan picnic blanket – I smiled as I looked down at my daughter's small head of brown curls, as she sat on the blanket playing with her colorful wooden blocks. Her wide eyes occasionally looked around, taking everything in around her, as a soft warm breeze moved through the trees, carrying the scent of pine, earth and wildflowers.

I enjoyed these moments when we could escape the confines of the house and enjoy the warmth of the summer, and the beauty of the nature around us. For during the winter, it was too cold, and dark, to enjoy spending time outside.

In that moment of peace and contentment, I found my mind going back to that night, nine months ago when she was born...

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 _...After ten months of hoping that I would be blessed with another miracle I had begun to wonder if another would ever come, then one day my prays were answered, and on the first of April at three o'clock in the morning, after only six hours of labor Carlie Elizabeth Cullen was born, two weeks before my due date, unlike her sister who was born on the day she was due. Edward cut and tied the cord, then wrapped her in a small white blanket, and cleared her air ways._

 _I could feel my heart beating inside my chest, as a million different emotions ran through me at once._

 _When he placed her in my arms, I looked down at her little face through blurry eyes. As her cries died down she looked up at me with the most beautiful emerald green eyes I had ever seen, causing my breath to hitch in my throat, for I knew I was seeing Edward's eyes. From that first touch my whole world had shifted once again, for where before there had been only two people, I could not live without, now there were three._

 _I ran my fingers over her damp dark curls that lay against her perfect head, as her little pink tongue poked out from two pink lips – the bottom a little bigger then the top._

" _Hi, there," I said, around the lump in my throat. Although I had loved every moment of the last two years, I had longed for those first steps again._

 _That first word._

 _That first smile._

 _I kissed her wet forehead, as Edward disposed of the placenta in a towel then placed it in a bowl and placed the bowl on the chest of draws to dispose of later. I wiped the tears off my face to clear my vision as I looked back down at her; she was so small. I felt a sense of peace and joy, knowing that my daughter would not grow up alone as I had done. She would always have someone to play with. She would always have a friend to grow up with, and experience life with._

" _She looks like you," Edward said softly, as he sat down next to me on the bed – I heard the emotions in his voice as they ran through me – "She's beautiful." He kissed me softly, as if once again he was afraid he would break me. How could it be possible for her to be so beautiful and yet look like me? I gazed at her for the longest time, mesmerized by her long eyelashes, her tiny fingers and the feel of her soft wet skin beneath my fingertips._

 _I wished I could have pause this moment in time, for a part of me knew that this could most likely be the last time I would feel the joy of holding my baby in my arms for the first time, hearing that first cry for air, and falling in love at that first touch._

 _Yet at the same time I knew that I had so much to look forward too. So many precious moments to come..._

 **o**

 **o**

The change that I knew would come someday, came – one morning – only a few months later, freezing me forever at twenty one. I had always wondered what it would feel like when it finally happened, since my mom had never talked about it. Would I feel different? Would it hurt? But there was nothing.

No pain.

No ache.

No wave of release as my body was transformed from mortal to immortal. Only the heightening of my senses, and the sensitivity of my skin. Every shade of colour was brighter and clearer, sounds were louder with a clarity to them I had never heard before.

Even my dreams were more vivid and clear, which had resulted in more then one _pleasant_ morning, before Renesmee came to get us up. And although I had felt a moment of sadness at the prospect of not having any more children, I knew I had already been blessed with more than I deserved.

 **o**

...I was suddenly brought out of my thoughts by the sound of Renesmee's joyful laughter. I smiled as I watched Edward throw Renesmee high into the air, then catch her. Her laughter filled the air, as her brown eyes shinned with childish joy.

While I saw myself in her eyes, her little features were purely Edward. Unlike Carlie who's features were a beautiful version of my own, with her fathers emerald green eyes. I had always known that I wanted to be a mother, yet I had never imagined what happiness it would bring me, and I sometimes wondered how I had lived without them. How I had gotten through a single day without the sound of their giggles, and the sweetness of their smiles.

"'Gain, Daddy," she squealed with delight. He complied with a smile, throwing her into the air again, before catching her again, and clutching her close. He was so good with her – with both of them – as I always knew he would be.

I was so thankful that I had been lucky enough to give my children not only a loving father, but also a grandfather that doted on them at every chance he got.

Edward kissed Renesmee's bronze-colored loose curls that fell to her ears, then sat down next to me with her on his lap. Her little pale feet stained with the green of the grass that covered the ground.

"Do you want your juice now?" I asked, as she watched Carlie attempting to put one of the blocks in her mouth. Just like her big sister, nothing was unsuitable for her to taste, which had resulted in us removing more than one gross substance from Renesmee's mouth. Thankfully none of them were harmful.

She looked at me with a crooked smile – just her fathers – showing her tiny pearl white teeth. "Juice." I took that as a yes and reached into the small picnic basket next to me, and handed her her pink sippy cup filled with juice, which would keep her occupied for a minute, if we were lucky. She had so much energy that I was constantly grateful that she had parents who could tire her out without exhausting themselves in the process.

"Have you thought about what I said?" Edward asked. It took me a moment to remember what he was referring to. With a sigh I looked out at the still waters of the lake. I had thought about it and although I had told him I needed time to think, the decision its self had been easier then I had thought it would be.

Looking back into his beautiful golden eyes, I answered, "Don't buy it."

His expression remained neutral. "Are you sure? It may not be back on the market for years...and I'm not suggesting that we would live there, however the house would forever be yours, to do with as you wish." A couple of years ago, I may have taken him up on the offer, but I knew now that I would never, could never, call that house home again. For the sad memories far outweighed the good.

I gave him a soft smile. "I was born and raised in that house, and I will always have fond memories to cherish...but my home is _here_ with you and the girls."

With a soft smile, he closed the small gap between us. The kiss was gentle, causing delicious shivers to run down my spine. His lips felt so soft against mine, I had to resist the urge to take his bottom lip between my teeth.

Just as a fire was beginning to build inside me, he pulled back as he always did when the timing was inappropriate for what my body desired. It constantly amazed me that I had yet to burst into flames.

Renesmee chose that moment to climb off of Edward's lap – her sippy cup still in her hand – and went over to the small pile of Lego laid out on the picnic blanket in-front of us, which I hoped would keep her mind off of exploring for a couple of minutes.

Even though Edward would be able to get to her within a second, the thought of her getting too close to the lake made me nervous, for although we had been blessed with an intelligent and beautiful child, she was still only two – years – old and her lack of fear was just trouble waiting to happen.

I knew that we would truly have our hands full when Carlie began to walk, for her wide eyes followed her sister around as it was, as if she longed to join in her sisters fun. It always warmed my heart to see how good Renesmee was with her little sister – always ready to try and comfort her when she cried. I smiled to myself as I remembered how happy she had been to meet her little sister for the first time.

The feel of Edward's fingers tucking a piece of hair behind my ear, caused goosebumps across my skin. His gold eyes were soft with emotion, and for the millionth time I wondered what he was thinking.

"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" He asked, as he cupped my cheek. I leaned into his touch – the slight coolness of his skin felt nice against mine.

"I know how much _I_ love _you_ ," I answered.

He rolled his eyes. "You compare one small tree to the entire forest."

I shook my head. "Impossible." It never made sense to me that he would love me – there was nothing extraordinary about me. When he dropped his hand, I wound my fingers through his.

As I looked into his deep gold eyes, my heart felt as though my chest could barley contain it, as if the love I felt for him was too much for my heart to hold. He had done so much for me, given me so much and all he had asked for in return was my heart.

"Have I ever thanked you?" I asked, with a soft smile.

His eyebrows pulled down in confusion. "For what?"

"For rescuing me that night in the woods...I was quit literally drowning, and I never thought I would be happy again...and then you found me...you changed everything for me...you gave me something worth waiting for...a family."

His hand gently cupped my cheek. "You were worth the wait..." Leaning in he kissed me gently. My fingers wrapping around the collar of his shirt, in an attempt to pull him closer.

 **o**

 _And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever..._

 **o**

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 **I know some people would have liked to have seen more of Edward and Bella with Renesmee when she was a baby, but I didn't know how to write it. XXXX**

 **o**

 **I would like to thank, once again, everyone who has reviewed and everyone who will now it is finished. I have loved writing this and I hope to come back with more stories.**


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